Schalke to meet Porto in first knockout round of Champions League!
21.12.2007
FC Schalke 04 are in the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time in their history - and they will be up against an old adversary. Today's draw in Nyon handed the Royal Blues a tie with Portuguese champions FC Porto.
The first leg will take place at the VELTINS Arena on Tuesday, 19 February, at 2045 CET, with the return at the Dragao Stadium on Wednesday, 5 March. Tickets for the home game will go on sale on Thursday, 10 January 2008, with prices the same as those charged for the group games against Valencia, Chelsea and Rosenborg.
Porto were Schalke's first opponents when they made their debut in the UEFA Cup in 1976. After a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Lisbon, the Royal Blues progressed to the next round with a 3-2 win in the return at the Park Stadium. But Porto also have fond memories of Schalke after winning the Champions League final 3-0 against AS Monaco at the VELTINS Arena on 26 May 2004.
It was the third time the 22-time Portuguese champions had lifted a European trophy. They won the European Cup in 1987, and in 2003 they claimed the UEFA Cup. Jesualdo Ferreira's team are currently unbeaten (eleven wins, two draws) at the top of the Portuguese league and well on the way to defending the title they won last season.
"They are no easy opponents in the knockout stages", said Schalke general manager Andreas Müller a few minutes after the draw. "All 16 teams have come through the group stage, after all, having left at least two teams behind them." In Porto's case it was three, all of them highly respected - Liverpool, Olympique Marseille and Besiktas.
Müller feels the Royal Blues are underdogs against the runaway leaders of the Portuguese Super League. "FC Porto are a top club with lots of European experience", he said, full of respect for the two-time World Club Championship winners.
