If Inter expect that drawing Porto means that they’ll have an easy ride in the Champions League round of sixteen, the Portuguese team’s recent history against Italian opposition would suggest otherwise.
This is highlighted in today’s print edition of Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport, who note that Porto have knocked all of AC Milan, Napoli, Lazio, Roma, and Juventus out of European competition in recent seasons.
Inter’s most recent meeting with Porto will feel like a positive precedent, given that the Nerazzurri overcame the Portuguese 4-2 on aggregate in the Champions League.
However, in the meantime Porto have had much better luck against Italian opposition.
Most recently, the Porto-based side eliminated Lazio from the Europa League round of 32 last season, and before that, knocked Juventus out of the Champions league at the round of sixteen stage.
Porto have overcome Roma in the Champions League round of sixteen in the 2018-19 campaign, whilst last season they secured two victories over AC Milan to help condemn the Rossoneri to a last place finish in their Champions League group.
Add to this the fact that it was the Portuguese who knocked Napoli out of the Europa League in 2014, and the Nerazzurri will start to feel like Italian teams struggle against this particular opposition in must-win games in Europe.
