Club Brugge wants to continue with a great start in Porto

The Porto of trainer Sergio Conceiçao (ex-Standard) already has something to put right. Last week, the Portuguese champion lost 2-1 after a crazy final at the Atletico Madrid of Axel Witsel and Yannick Carrasco. “That means that Porto will now absolutely want to achieve a result,” Hoefkens realizes. “I think they will start very furious, want to grab us by the throat and not let go. That will be their intention. It is up to us not to let that happen. That we already have a victory in our pocket, nothing changes for us. This is another game and a new challenge.”

Porto was seeded in the draw, while Bruges was in the fourth cup. “Of course we want to win here – if you don’t want that, you better stay at home – but a draw would also be a very good result,” says winger Andreas Skov Olsen.

In their own league, Bruges brought the treacherous move to Seraing to a good end on Saturday: 0-2 and a fifth league win in a row. FC Porto beat Chaves 3-0 and remain three points away from leader Benfica in the Primeira Liga. Against Bruges, the Portuguese cannot count on Mehdi Taremi, who has already scored six goals in eight games this season. The Iranian striker has been suspended for his red card against Atletico.