Not many gave Porto a chance to advance over Juventus, even with a 2-1 lead going into the return game. Apparently no one told them because they did not play scared against Cristiano Ronaldo and company.
Jesus Corona might have been listed as a midfielder but he essentially played as a wingback for this entire game. Tecatito lead Porto in ground duels won and touches but still managed to lead both teams in fouls suffered. Overall, he put in a solid 117 minute shift. Especially once you consider he was a maybe to even appear in the game as he was carrying a knock from Saturday’s game. I know SofaScore has him at a 6.2 player rating in the graphic above and that’s not great. But WhoScored had him at a 7.0 and I feel that better reflects his value to Porto today. Either way, he was a big reason way Porto was able to be dangerous with only 32% of possession.
Before I sign off, I have to give a shoutout to Agustin Marchesin. He was an absolute beast today. Yes, Juventus scored 3 but it would have been way worse if he was not in goal. As good as Marchesin was for Porto, he wasn’t even my MOTM for them. That honor would have to go to Pepe . The 38 year old was everywhere for Porto and stabilized them after every blow Juventus delivered. Porto will not be favored in their next Champions League matchup but they are built for upsets and should not be overlooked.