Pereira tries to ease Porto pressure

Porto coach Vitor Pereira does not believe Wednesday’s Champions League match against APOEL will be decisive.

Europa League holders’ hopes in the competition were dealt a heavy blow by their 3-1 defeat at Zenit St Petersburg last month.

Porto are now third in the group, and as they prepare for the match against APOEL, whom they beat twice in the 2009-10 edition of the tournament, Vitor Pereira has played down the importance of the contest.

“This will be an important game, just like every game,” Pereira said. “We want the victory, this is just another game we want to win.”

“I do not believe it will be decisive, but it is important that we take the three points.”

“They surprised Zenit at home and Shakhtar in Donetsk and are well organised, they have had the same coach for five years and they have some experience in the Champions League.”

The Portuguese giants will be able to count on the services of Kleber, who has fully recovered from a shoulder injury, and Pereira says he expects the striker to turn in a good performance.

“Kleber will surely be at his best level, he will play well,” he said. “That is the Kleber I expect for tomorrow’s game.”