From Colombia with Love

By Dominic Vieira, writing from Lancaster, England

Three European trophies conquered in the last 9 years by FC Porto, a remarkable achievement for a Portuguese club! The 2011 Europa League Final was certainly not exhilarating, vintage or memorable, but the extraordinary first half header from Colombian striker Falcao is definitely one to remember. It was the only goal in the intense battle which created few opportunities and in a final, a team simply can’t miss them. The strongest team won last night, a side pioneered by 33 year old Andre Villas-Boas who became the youngest manager to claim a European title.

The final failed to portray Portuguese football on a global stage, nonetheless it dignified the country as FC Porto wrote its name in football history once more and this was the 8th European title conquered by a Portuguese club. Despite the tough economic times driving the country insane, Portugal possessed 3 teams participating in the Europa League semi-final which is a proud achievement. Braga, a fairly unknown team, left Dublin empty handed but won’t be forgotten for their hard work, dedication and historic campaign. Their season started with a limited transfer funds, the arrival of 23 players but the talented Domingos Paciencia assembled a compact side which have been superb in this competition. 

The star of the show was Falcao whose performance awarded him the Best Player in the Final trophy from UEFA and finished as the competition’s top scorer with a record 17 goals. Curiously, he’s the first Colombian to hit the back of the net in a European final. His strike was a top class finish which was a typical Falcao goal, a player that is a constant lethal threat in the air. The 25 year joined FC Porto in 2009 season from River Plate, days after a move to rivals Benfica collapsed. He was seen as the long-term replacement of the Argentine Lisandro Lopez who moved to Lyon, filling the shoes of the influential striker was not a simple task but he proved his capability last night with that stunning goal. His season’s statistics are phenomenal, 39 goals in 42 official matches and it’s only a matter of time before a bidding war sparks. Aren’t Tottenham pursuing a new striker?

Last night signalled the end of a 2 year cycle for Braga as Domingos, a former successful FC Porto striker, announced his departure as he plans to take the helm at Sporting Lisbon. Following his footsteps will be the commanding Peruvian centre-back Rodriguez who is close completing a deal. In fact, the core of the team is dismantaling as Silvio will move to Madrid to represent Atletico, Artur the goalkeeper is heavily linked with a move to Benfica and club captain Vandinho will return to his native Brazil. The Europa League Final is the club’s greatest achievement and it’s a dismay to see the team dissolving now. But that’s what happens with the smaller clubs in football, especially in Portugal

It’s no surprise to see Jose Mourinho comparisons reciprocating at an unbelievable rate; it’s most definitely a recurring theme on any current article about Andre Villas-Boas.  However, footballers like managers each possess their own unique style, it’s a form of identity and even if the Portuguese managers are similar on many levels, they are two different professionals. They may share a similar history, worked together and both led FC Porto to success, but their approach to the beautiful game greatly varies. This happens all the time in Brazil, the moment a talented player emerges and scores a range of goals the cliché Pele comparisons start generating exponentially. Fortunately, that trend is slowly dying and the same should be done between these two.

Andre Villas-Boas has set the bar incredibly high for both Portuguese and modern managers. In his first complete season he has succeeded both domestically and in Europe, trophies have already been lifted. An important characteristic about the young manager is that he was never a player, instead his career kicked off at a young age focussing on studying the game, scouting and learning from world class managers. Since making the jump from coach to manager, everything he does revolves around one word: winning.

The season started with victories for FC Porto who has been consistent throughout the campaigning registering a staggering 47 wins from 56 matches. The dream year for both the manager and team is not over, they can record another triumph as they face Guimaraes in the Cup Final on Sunday. The last time FC Porto won the treble was in 2003 and the following year they won the Champions League, coincidence? Time will tell.

To conclude, last night was a glorious night for Portuguese football, it was important for the nation to defend its identity especially after a frustrating World Cup. Andre Villas-Boas, who started the season under heavy criticism due to his young age will continue lifting trophies and making history with or without a Portuguese club. On the other side, Domingos Paciencia has a new adventure ahead of him managing Sporting Lisbon, the country’s third biggest team which haven’t lifted a piece of silverware since 2007. The challenges which lie ahead for both men are ambitious and great, but achievable.

Finally, let’s hope Nani can continue the winning tradition by lifting his second Champions League on the 28th of May at Wembley!