FC Porto went out standing in the Champions League. The 4-1 defeat against Liverpool, at Estádio do Dragão, for the second leg of the quarter-finals, doesn’t show what the blue and whites did in the last match for the competition. At the end of the match, Sérgio Conceição praised his team and didn’t forget the support of the fans. Now, FC Porto will do everything to win the championship and the Portuguese Cup.

Unfair result and defeat too heavy
“Tonight, just as in Anfield, the result was too heavy for what we did. Congratulations to my players. The strategy we set up had us doing what we did in the first-half, especially in terms of pressure and preventing them from attacking. On the first time they reached our goal, Liverpool scored. Before that, we had two or three clear opportunities to score. Everything would have been different then. I have a team with great character and personality. The players were amazing in the way they understood what we wanted. We had one of the best first-halves since I’ve been coaching FC Porto. The difference in goals in the round is far too heavy for us.”

Always looking for goal
“We knew we were losing and that we deserved more. Even after they scored their second goal, we didn’t give up. Liverpool shot four times on goal. Casillas didn’t make a single save and conceded four goals. We could have reached a different result had we been more efficient in our opportunities. We did counter their weapons, especially in the first-half. We were perfect in the first 45 minutes. Conceding a goal like that and realizing we had to score 4 goals to qualify isn’t easy. Despite being behind two goals, we were always looking for goal”

The fans and the remaining titles
“It was a display of dignity, not just from the team, but also the fans. Our fans know what to expect from us: determination, ambition, work and quality, as a team or a player. They are very important for us. The strength coming from the stands is thrilling. I can feel their passion for the team. They identify with the team, and that’s where this connection comes from. We have two titles to fight for and we want to win them.”