Porto coach Nuno Espirito Santo insists his side can still reach the Champions League quarter-finals, despite trailing Juventus 2-0 after the first leg.
The Portuguese side saw Alex Telles dismissed in the first half as he picked up two bookings in the space of 72 seconds but Porto held on until the 72nd minute, when Marko Pjaca broke the deadlock for the visitors.
Juve grabbed a second soon after through Dani Alves and hold a significant advantage ahead of the second leg on March 16 in Italy.
Santo, though, insists the tie is not over just yet. “The [Telles’] expulsion was crucial because everything became much more difficult,” he told the club’s official website.
“If it was difficult with 11 men, with 10 it was much more so, but the team gave everything and that was the most important thing and the team was able to withstand the opponents’ attacks until the 72nd minute.
“Now we have to go to Turin to compete, the tie is very, very difficult, but it is not finished.” Porto are 5.50 to win the second leg or 29.00 to win 2-0, which would drag the tie into extra time.
Juventus are rated at 7.50 to win the Champions League outright and Premier League outfit Manchester City are 10.00 after their 5-3 win over Monaco in the first leg of their last-16 clash earlier this week.
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