Portuguese players taste glory the length and breadth of Europe

Round-up of highly successful week for Portuguese abroad

As domestic campaigns across Europe draw to a close, this midweek’s action proved hugely successful for various Portuguese players across the continent.

There were trophies for Partizan Belgrade of Serbia and CFR Cluj of Romania, while Hugo Almeida (Werder Bremen) and Vitor Pele (Inter, pictured) were both on the score sheet in crucial wins for their clubs. Meanwhile, FC Basel and Paris Saint-Germain edged closer to league and cup silverware respectively with positive results, and Real Madrid celebrated their title win with a crushing victory over fierce rivals Barcelona.

Bremen secure Champions League football

Werder Bremen are now certain of at least a place in the qualifying stages of next season’s Champions League, after Hugo Almeida got the winner in a crucial 1-0 victory at Hamburg on Wednesday evening.

Currently in second place, Bremen will finish in the top three places in the Bundesliga which gain qualification for Europe’s premier competition, and have a two-point lead over Schalke in the race for the second automatic spot.

Almeida’s goal was uncharacteristic of the former Porto man, who scored a long-range effort with his right boot. “I don’t ever remember having hit a shot like that with my right boot before, let alone scoring such a goal with it,” Almeida said after the match.

“Everything happened very quickly. Tim (Weise’s) long kick out, Marcus (Rosenberg) shielding off the ball, the lay-off then I just let fly. It wasn’t just a cup final, it was the North-Derby and that makes me twice as happy.”

Cluj and Partizan claim trophies

As well as CFR Cluj and their vast Portuguese contingent securing the club’s first ever league title with a 1-0 win at city rivals Universitatea, there was also cup success for Almani Moreira in Serbia with league leaders Partizan Belgrade.

A 3-0 win over Zemun in the Serbian Cup is the first of what Partizan hope will be a memorable double, with the club known as ‘Grobrari’ currently holding a three-point lead at the top of the Meridian Superliga going into the last four matches. Although injury kept Ednilson out of the final, Moreira played as a hat-trick from Lamine Diarra earned Partizan the win.

Pele gives Scolari a nudge

Internazionale midfielder Vitor Pele admits that he still holds hope of earning an unlikely call-up to Luiz Felipe Scolari’s Portugal squad before the European Championships, after scoring in a 2-0 win at Lazio to help the Nerazurri qualify for the Coppa Italia final.

“I don’t know if Scolari is aware of my form,” Pele said after the victory which sets up a final meeting with title rivals Roma. “I always have hope, but I’ve got my feet on the ground. I know that it is going to be very difficult for me to go to the Euros. I’ll keep working.”

Pepe aiming for even better next season

Spanish champions Real Madrid crowned a memorable week with a crushing 4-1 victory over arch enemies Barcelona at the Bernabeu, with Portuguese defender Pepe already speaking of personal improvement after a solid debut campaign in La Liga.

“The whole team was perfect,” the former Porto stopper said of the win over Barca. “We must have a lot of respect for this shirt and that’s what we did because we are professionals.

“It’s been a great season, but I still have a lot to learn. I push myself harder every day and hope to help the team in any way I can. I am very happy to be here and to have been able to play this match in the way we did.”

Another cup final for PSG

Recently crowned Coupe de la Ligue winners Paris Saint-Germain continued to defy their disastrous league campaign by reaching the French Cup final with a 1-0 win at Amiens on Tuesday night.

PSG, who are already guaranteed European football next season after last month’s triumph, are in the relegation zone with just two league matches left to play, but will meet Lyon in their second cup final later this month. Pedro Pauleta was not involved for the club from the capital.

Basel edge closer to title despite dropped points

Title chasing FC Basel salvaged a last-gasp draw at Neuchatel Xamax on Tuesday, meaning they will go into this weekend’s final round of matches leading the Swiss Super League by a single point from Young Boys Bern.

Carlitos played the full ninety minutes in the Basel attack as the leaders went 2-0 down inside 52 minutes, but snatched a point with a stoppage time goal from captain Ivan Ergic after Daniel Majstorovic had halved the deficit on 72 minute.