Monaco vs Porto: A replay of 2004 Champions League Final
More than 13 years after Porto lifted the Champions League trophy, beating Monaco 3-0 in the final, both sides are preparing to face each other again. Sports Gazette takes a look at the teams then and now ahead of their Champions League group stage fixture on Tuesday night. If you already forgot the 2004 Champions League final, you can remember the best moments in the video bellow:
Both sides have gone through many changes, on-and-off the pitch, in the ensuing 13-years since the final. In 2004 Porto were reliant on their Portuguese-speaking core – their starting line-up was comprised of three Brazilians and eight Portuguese players, whilst Monaco had only five Frenchmen on their side. In their most recent Champions League match, however, Porto and Monaco only started with one national player: the portuguese Ricardo Pereira and the french Djibril Sidibe.
It is also important to note that Porto’s current coach, Sergio Conceição, was part of their squad in 2004. However, he was ineligible for the match as he was cup-tied after playing for Lazio in the Champions League earlier in the season.
2004 Champions League Final
Porto’s Coach: José Mourinho
Starting 11: Vítor Baía, Paulo Ferreira, Jorge Costa, Ricardo Carvalho, Nuno Valente, Costinha, Maniche, Pedro Mendes, Deco, Derlei, Carlos Alberto
Monaco’s coach: Didier Deschamps
Starting 11: Roma, Zikos, Givet, Rodriguez, Evra, Ibarra, Bernardi, Giuly, Cissé, Rothen, Morientes.
Most recent Champions League Match
Porto’s coach: Sérgio Conceição (1-3 loss at home to Besiktas)
Starting 11: Iker Casillas, Ricardo Pereira, Felipe, Marcano, Alex Telles, Danilo Pereira, Oliver Torres, Brahimi, Corona, Marega and Soares
Monaco’s coach: Leonardo Jardim (1-1 draw away to RB Leipzig)
Starting 11: Diego Benaglio, Almamy Toure, Kamil Glik, Jemerson Nascimento, Jorge Moreas, Fabinho, João Moutinho, Djibril Sidibe, Youri Tielemans, Adama Diakhaby, Falcão.
Transfer Market Policy
Although the 2004 Monaco team had high-calibre players such as Fernando Morientes, Ludovic Giuly and Patrice Evra, they hadn’t spent a lot of money in the transfer market: Morientes and Hugo Ibarro were on loan from Real Madrid and Porto respectively. In fact, their biggest signing of the previous transfer market was a 19-year-old Emmanuel Adebayor (who cost around €3 million).
However, the 2004 team was not known, as Leonardo Jardim’s is today, for investing in young players and making huge profits in the transfer market. This summer Bernardo Silva, who went to Manchester City for €50 million, and Kylian Mbappé, who was loaned to PSG with a purchase option of €180 million, were two of their high-profile departures.
Porto, due to financial fairplay issues, had a quiet transfer window this summer, buying only two players: Oliver Torres (who cost €20 million from Atlético Madrid) and Vaná (from Estoril Praia for €1 million), although several players, including Ricardo Pereira, Vincent Aboubakar, Moussa Marega and Hernani, have returned from loan spells. Nonetheless, they made almost €94 million from sales, losing André Silva to AC Milan for €40 million and Ruben Neves for €18 million to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In 2004 Porto had opted to sign mainly Portuguese and Brazilian players, like José Bosingwa, Carlos Alberto (who scored the first goal in that final), Pedro Mendes and Sérgio Conceição. The only “star”, and most expensive player in that team, was Benni McCarthy, from Celta de Vigo (who cost €3.5 million – a significant sum for a Portuguese team at the time). The total cost of their side was just €10.5 million.
Tactics
Porto have recently shifted back to a 4-4-2 formation, which they used in the 2004 final, after having predominantly played 4-3-3 in the years since. However, it is a very different shape compared to Mourinho’s team, who played a midfield diamond (with Costinha as the defensive midfielder and Deco the offensive one). Conceição, on the other hand, uses a more regular line of four midfielders, even if one of the central players is slightly more offensive than the other (usually Danilo Pereira as the defensive and Héctor Herrera or Oliver Torres as the offensive midfielder).
Monaco in 2004 played in a typical 4-3-3 with Giuly and Jérôme Rothen as wingers, and the Spanish international Morientes as the striker. Nowadays, Monaco are noted for their fluid tactics, and are able to adapt to their opposition: last weekend in the league they played in a regular 4-4-2, whilst against Leipzig Jardim opted for a 4-2-3-1.
