A more restful February. This is the first conclusion for the near future of FC Porto and Braga, who guaranteed direct qualification to the round of 16 of the Europa League, thus avoiding having to compete in the play-offs, which would further burden next month’s tight schedule.
FC Porto entered the last round of the main phase of the second European competition knowing that it was not just up to themselves, but that a victory was absolutely essential to avoid having to play at least another 180 minutes of football in February, a month in which they already have a classic scheduled against Sporting and which, therefore, will only have four games on the agenda. The night at Dragão didn’t start off well, with Rangers’ opening goal pushing the blue and whites into 13th place in the standings, but the turnaround, signed by Rodrigo Mora and Francisco Moura, allowed them to rise to seventh place, with the third goal and the setbacks of others ending up dictating the final fifth place, a position in which Braga was before the final round.
The Minho team drew 0-0 at the Dutch team Go Ahead Eagles and finished sixth, with both clubs already knowing which opponents could bring them luck in the knockout phase. The Scottish team of Celtic or the Bulgarians of Ludogorets will face, in the play-offs, the Germans of Stuttgart or the Hungarians of Ferencváros and it will be from this batch of games that the rivals of the two Portuguese clubs will emerge, and the draw for the round of 16 will be held on the 27th, after the conclusion of the final access duels.
