After getting a tricky tie against Atletico Madrid in the 16-year-old in this season’s Champions League, Chelsea’s reward for defeating Diego Simeone’s men is a quarter – final with FC Porto.
While Thomas Tuchel will no doubt be keen to avoid his side underestimating their last eight opponents, the Blues could not have asked for a much better draw given some of the star names remaining in this season’s competition.
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Not only have they managed to avoid the likes of Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, they have also been drawn to a side against which they have performed well in their previous meetings.
The Blues have received five victories from their eight clashes with Porto, with the Portuguese side winning only twice.
Here is a review of all eight previous meetings between the two sides since their first meeting in 2004.
Didier Drogba was in the scoring in Chelsea’s first win against Porto | NICOLAS ASFOURI / Getty Images
The first meeting between these two sides saw Jose Mourinho face to face with his former employers after leaving the Champions League winners at the end of the 2003/04 season.
An early strike from Alexei Smertin (remember him?) Put the blues on track before Didier Drogba doubled the lead shortly after half time.
Benni McCarthy struck home with 20 minutes to play to give the home side something to think about before John Terry’s header ensured that Mourinho’s men made back-to-back wins to kick in their Champions League campaign.
Damien Duff’s goal was not enough to stop Chelsea from slipping to a 2-1 defeat in Porto in 2004 | Phil Cole / Getty Images
The return match saw the Blues suffer their first defeat in the competition, after winning four wins and a draw from their first five outings.
The top spot in Group H had already been secured by Chelsea before their trip to the Estadio do Dragao, and Damien Duff’s first half got Porto on their way to the Champions League exit door.
However, goals from the second half saved Diego and McCarthy Porto as they scraped through the competition rounds in second place at the expense of CSKA Moscow.
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Andriy Shevchenko took Chelsea one point in 2007 CityFiles / Getty Images
The only draw between Porto and Chelsea came back in February 2007 when the two sides met in the 16th round of the Champions League.
Raul Meirele’s 12-minute volley gave Porto an early lead, but Andriy Shevchenko’s precise left-footed drive gave the visitors a crucial away goal before the second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Arjen Robben was among the goals when Chelsea beat Porto 2-1 in March 2007 | Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
A 0-0 draw would have been enough for Mourinho’s men to advance to the quarter-final stage, but all thoughts of parking the famous bus were soon banished when Ricardo Quaresma fired the visitors to a shock distribution.
The Blues needed to score otherwise they would be eliminated from the first knockout round, and Arjen Robben restored parity shortly after half time before Michael Ballack’s goal ten minutes from time meant that it was Mourinho’s men who would advance to the quarterfinals.
The victory over Valencia in the next round made Chelsea dream of going all the way, even though their old enemies Liverpool stopped them in their tracks in the semi-finals.
Nicolas Anelka scored the only goal of the game in Chelsea’s 1-0 victory in 2009 | Mike Hewitt / Getty Images
After being drawn again in the group stage of the Champions League, Chelsea started their campaign with a 1-0 victory over the Portuguese kit in September 2009.
There was little difference between the two sides with the score 0-0 that went into the interval, but Nicolas Anelka proved to be the match winner early in the second half as his powerful finish proved too hot to handle Porto goalkeeper Helton.
Nicolas Anelka grabbed the winner for Chelsea in Porto 2009 | Hamish Blair / Getty Images
In an almost carbon dioxide version of the first meeting between these two sides in Group D in the Champions League 2009/10, Anelka grabbed the only goal in the game when he led Florent Malouda’s real cross.
The 1-0 victory at Estadio do Dragao ensured that Chelsea would qualify as group winners, but it did not do much to improve their chances of reaching the later stages of the tournament as they were knocked out by potential winners Inter in the last 16.
Chelsea fought 2-1 in Porto in September 2015 | Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno / Getty Images
Chelsea’s most recent trip to the Estadio do Dragao returned in September 2015.
Mourinho was once again at the helm of the newly crowned Premier League champions, although their nightmare started when they looked to keep their title transferred to the Champions League as they only suffered their second ever defeat against Porto.
Andre Andre’s early goal was interrupted by Willian’s equalizer just before half time, but a second half from Maicon ensured that Porto claimed all three points.
Chelsea’s Champions League campaign did not get much better (same as the whole season really) and they were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16.
Eden Hazards Chelsea secured a comfortable 2-0 victory in December 2015 | Catherine Ivill – AMA / Getty Images
The reverse match saw at least Chelsea take revenge on the Portuguese side.
The match would be Mourinho’s last Champions League outing with Chelsea as he received his match orders just eight days later, although he signed from European football at Stamford Bridge with a comfortable 2-0 victory thanks to a goal from Willian and an Ivan Marcano own goal.
