With Portugal’s most anticipated match kicking-off today, Bettor.com analyzes which battles will determine the outcome of the tie and possibly the Primeira Liga.
Hulk vs. Miguel Vitor
Brazilian brute Hulk has had his share of moments in the past few months but he hasn’t been the same player he was last season. His performances don’t display the same attacking verve anymore and the goals have seemingly dried up as well.
Touted to be one of the finest exponents of his art on the continent, he surely needs to step up to the plate now that the Portistas require his services.
The 25-year-old can change the whole complexion of the game in seconds with his undoubted abilities and has a lethal wand of a left-foot, making Miguel Vitor’s task of man-marking him, an unsavoury one.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Hulk-c16436 is even allowed an inch of space or a split second to mull over his choices; it could
possibly decide the outcome of the match.
Nicolas Gaitan vs. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Álvaro-Pereira-c5297
It’s a strange encounter this one. Both the players were amongst the best in their positions only a few months ago and were linked with big money moves to the English Premier League.
However their displays have waned, while no particular reason has been attributed to them.
Gaitan was Benfica’s catalyst during the first half of the season, turning attacks into decisive moves and single handedly dominating Manchester United at Estadio da Luz in September. But since then he has been able to replicate his feats, something which
coach http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jorge-c19120 Jesus claims is due to the number of games he has played already for club and country.
This is football though, and whole careers are rejuvenated with a stroke of genius. But Alvaro Pereira will be on the pitch just to make sure that his fellow South American doesn’t do that.
The former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 in the summer but the move didn’t materialize due to Porto’s asking price.
With Pereira's turned by the riches in London, he is clearly not up to his best and now faces perhaps the most challenging moment of his season, as he has to isolate Gaitan from the main play, otherwise the Dragao are surely going to lose their coveted crown.
Joao Moutinho vs. Javi Garcia
Good midfielders are perhaps the most wanted players in the game now days and finding the best of the lot is never easy.
However Joao Moutinho and Javi Garcia are bound to be high on anyone’s list, which features the elite of European football.
Spanish born Javi Garcia already hails from a country, who have the made the tiki-taka style of play a thing of beauty. So unsurprisingly, passing is the 25-year-old’s most highlighted feature and since the start of the season, he has utilized it to the
brim, frustrating opponents with his fabulous first-touch and delighting teammates with his exquisite vision.
With the Lisbon giants facing an uphill battle in the UEFA Champions League, the Primeira Liga is their most realistic chance of silverware and in order to hoist the trophy in May, Garcia must make sure that things do not go Joao Moutinho’s way.
Like his La Roja counterpart, the former Sporting Lisbon man has talent in abundance and is regular with his country on the International front.
This is perhaps the place on the field, where the game will be decided, which means that the key to victory and three points lies with either Joao Moutinho or Javi Garcia.
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