The 2006–07 season was Futebol Clube do Porto's 96th competitive season, 73rd consecutive season in the top flight of Portuguese football, and 113th year in existence as a football club.
Porto's victory in the 2005–06 Primeira Liga, qualified them for the 2006 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira and the 2006–07 UEFA Champions League group stage. Porto won their first piece of silverware of the season by winning the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira against Vitória de Setúbal. Jesualdo Ferreira would be appointed as manager shortly afterwards, after Rui Barros had been appointed caretaker manager after Dutch coach Co Adriaanse left the club in August.
The Dragões would progress through the Champions League group stage by finishing second in their group behind Arsenal. The Portistas would be eliminated in the following round, the first knockout round, by English side Chelsea who were led at the time by former Porto coach José Mourinho. Porto were defeated 3–2 on aggregate over two legs.
In the last game of the league season, the Azuis e Brancos would claim a twenty-second league title after a 4–1 home victory over Desportivo das Aves.
Key events
July
10: Portuguese center forward Hugo Almeida joins Bundesliga side Werder Bremen on a seasons long loan. 13: Porto announce the signings of Moroccan winger Tarik Sektioui and Brazilian full back Ezequias. 22: Porto draw 2–2 with Dutch side Groningen in a pre-season game held in the Netherlands. 27: A Bruno Moraes goal grants Porto victory over Dutch side Heracles Almelo in a pre-season friendly game. 28: Premier League side Blackburn Rovers announce the signing of South African striker Benni McCarthy for €3.7 million. 30: In Porto's official presentation to its members of their 2006–07 squad, the Dragões defeat Italian side Roma, 1–0.
August 9: Porto announce Co Adriaanse's resignation as manager, with assistant coach Rui Barros being appointed as caretaker coach. 18: The Portistas confirm the appointment of Jesualdo Ferreira as manager, with immediate effect. 19: Porto claim a fifteenth Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, after defeating Vitória de Setúbal 3–0, thanks to second half goals from Adriano, Anderson and Vieirinha. 24: Porto draws Arsenal, CSKA Moscow and Hamburg in the Champions League draw. 25: Porto win their first league game of the season, by claiming a 2–1 home win over União de Leiria at the Estádio do Dragão. Adriano and Ricardo Quaresma scored Porto's goals. 31: On the last day of the transfer window, Porto sign Uruguayan full back Jorge Fucile from Liverpool de Montevideo. The arrival of Fucile sees the departure of César Peixoto to Spanish side RCD Espanyol on a seasons long loan.
September 10: Porto win their second league game of the season, after defeating Estrela da Amadora 3–0. The match took place at Benfica's Estádio da Luz due to Estrela's home ground Estádio José Gomes being under renovation. 13: Porto draws their opening game of the UEFA Champions League group stage. The Portistas earned a point following a goalless match with Russian side CSKA Moscow. 17: A Mário Sérgio own goal and first half strike from left back Marek Čech gives Porto a 2–0 away win over Naval 1º de Maio. 22: Goals from Hélder Postiga, Lisandro López and Tarik Sektioui sees Porto secure their fourth consecutive win in the league over Beira-Mar. 26: Porto suffer their first loss of the season after they lose 2–0 to English side Arsenal in their second UEFA Champions League group stage match. Thierry Henry and Alexander Hleb scored Arsenal's goals which granted the Gunners with three points.
October 2: Jesualdo Ferreira's side suffer their first loss of the league season, by losing 2–1 to Braga at the Estádio Municipal de Braga. 17: Goals from Lisandro López, Lucho González and Hélder Postiga gives Porto their first Champions League win of the campaign as the Dragões defeat German side Hamburger SV at the Estádio do Dragão. 22: In the first Clássico game of the season, a second-half Ricardo Quaresma goal grants Porto a draw against Sporting CP after Yannick Djaló had scored for the home side. 28: A late headed goal from Brazilian striker Bruno Moraes gives the Azuis e Brancos a 3–2 home win over rivals Benfica in Porto's second Clássico game in the space of six days.
November 1: Porto earn a second consecutive Champions League group stage win after a 3–1 away win at Hamburg's Volksparkstadion. A first half wonder strike from Lucho González, and second half goals from Lisandro López and Bruno Moraes gave Porto the three points. 21: Porto obtain a third consecutive group stage win by defeating CSKA Moscow 2–0 at the Lokomotiv Stadium. Ricardo Quaresma and Lucho González scored Porto's goals. 28: Porto draws third division side Atlético CP in the fourth round of the Taça de Portugal.
December 6: Porto draw 0–0 at home with Arsenal in the last game of the Champions League group stage, and miss out on claiming first place in Group H. The Portistas would finish the group stage campaign with eleven points. 15: Porto draws English side Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round. 22: Porto sign Argentinean full back Lucas Mareque on a three-year contract from River Plate for €1 million.
January
25: Porto sign Colombian striker Wason Rentería from Brazilian side Internacional on an undisclosed fee. 26: A 17th-minute goal from União de Leiria's Damien Tixier inflicts on Porto a second league loss of the season.
February 21: The Azuis e Brancos tie their first leg round of 16 tie against José Mourinho's Chelsea. Porto opened the scoring through Raul Meireles on twelve minutes, but their lead was cancelled out four minutes later through Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko.
March 6: Despite an early Quaresma goal in the second leg of Porto's Champions League tie at Stamford Bridge, Ferreira's side would bow out of the competition after second half goals from Dutch winger Arjen Robben and German midfielder Michael Ballack which provided the Blues with safe passage to the quarter-finals. 11: Porto release Croatian striker Tomo Šokota after two seasons at the club.
April
May 20: A 4–1 home win over Desportivo das Aves in the last game of the league season, sees the Dragões win a 22nd Primeira Liga title.
Squads
First team squad Stats as of the end of the 2006–07 season. Games played and goals scored only refers to appearances and goals in the Primeira Liga.
Name Nationality Position(s) Since Date of birth (age) Signed from Goalkeepers 1 Helton GK 2005 União de Leiria 41 0 24 Paulo Ribeiro GK 2005 Vitória de Setúbal 0 0 99 Vítor Baía GK 1988 Porto Academy 406 0 Defenders 2 Ricardo Costa CB / LB / RB 2002 Porto Academy 75 3 3 Pepe CB 2004 Marítimo 64 6 4 Pedro Emanuel CB 2002 Boavista 95 1 5 Marek Čech LB 2005 Sparta Prague 36 2 12 José Bosingwa RB 2003 Boavista 83 3 13 Jorge Fucile RB 2006 Liverpool de Montevideo 18 114 Bruno Alves (VC) CB 2001 Porto Academy 35 2 15 Ezequias CB / LB 2006 Académica de Coimbra 1 0 25 Lucas Mareque LB 2006 River Plate 4 0 26 João Paulo CB 2006 União de Leiria 3 0 Midfielders 6 Ibson CM 2005 Flamengo 33 2 8 Lucho González (C) CM / AM 2005 River Plate 60 19 10 Anderson AM 2006 Grêmio 18 2 16 Raul Meireles CM 2004 Boavista 56 5 18 Paulo Assunção DM 2004 Nacional 47 0 20 Jorginho AM 2005 Vitória de Setúbal 28 3 31 Diogo Valente LM 2006 Boavista 1 0 35 André Castro CM 2007 Porto Academy 0 0 Forwards 7 Ricardo Quaresma LW / RW 2004 Barcelona 87 15 9 Lisandro López LW / RW / CF 2005 Racing Club 51 14 11 Tarik Sektioui LW / RW 2006 AZ 4 1 17 Vieirinha RW 2005 Porto Academy 8 0 19 Tomo Šokota CF 2005 Benfica 2 0 21 Alan AM / RW 2005 Marítimo 28 3 22 Wason Rentería CF 2007 Internacional 6 0 23 Hélder Postiga CF 2004 Tottenham Hotspur 108 36 28 Adriano CF 2006 Cruzeiro 33 18 29 Bruno Moraes CF 2003 Santos 17 2
Pre-season and friendlies Legend
Matches
Competitions
Legend
Overall CompetitionStarted roundFinal position / roundFirst matchLast matchSupertaça Cândido de OliveiraFinalWinners19 August 2006Primeira Liga1st25 August 200620 May 2007Taça de Portugal4th round4th round7 January 2007UEFA Champions LeagueGroup stageFirst knockout round13 September 20066 March 2007
Competition record CompetitionRecordGWDLGFGAGDWin % Primeira Liga Taça de Portugal Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira UEFA Champions League Total
Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
Primeira Liga
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches
Taça de Portugal
UEFA Champions League
Group stage
First knockout round
Statistics
Appearances and goals As of the end of the 2006–07 season.
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Goalkeepers
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Defenders
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Midfielders
! colspan="15" style="background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center;"| Forwards
Clean sheets As of the end of the 2006–07 season. PlayerPrimeira LigaTaça de PortugalSupertaçaChampions LeagueTotal1GK1 Helton13013172GK99 Vítor Baía10001TOTALS1401318
Disciplinary record As of the end of the 2006–07 season. PlayerPrimeira LigaTaça de PortugalSupertaçaEuropeTotal1MF18 Paulo Assunção90000010010011002DF3 Pepe6000000002008003DF14 Bruno Alves6000000001007004DF12 José Bosingwa6000000000006005FW7 Ricardo Quaresma5010001002008016MF16 Raul Meireles4000000001005007DF5 Marek Čech400000000000400MF8 Lucho González400000000000400FW9 Lisandro López400000000000400FW20 Jorginho40000000000040011DF13 Jorge Fucile30000000020050012FW23 Hélder Postiga30000000000030013GK1 Helton200000000000200FW28 Adriano20000000000020015DF2 Ricardo Costa000000000100100MF6 Ibson100000000000100MF10 Anderson100000000000100DF25 Lucas Mareque100000000000100DF26 João Paulo000100000000100MF31 Diogo Valente100000000000100TOTALS600110020010007301
Overview As of the end of the 2006–07 season.
Games played 40 (30 Primeira Liga, 1 Taça de Portugal, 8 UEFA Champions League, 1 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira)Games won 26 (22 Primeira Liga, 3 UEFA Champions League, 1 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira)Games drawn 6 (3 Primeira Liga, 3 UEFA Champions League)Games lost 8 (5 Primeira Liga, 1 Taça de Portugal, 2 UEFA Champions League)Goals scored 79 (65 Primeira Liga, 11 UEFA Champions League, 3 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira)Goals conceded 28 (20 Primeira Liga, 1 Taça de Portugal, 7 UEFA Champions League)Goal difference +51 (+45 Primeira Liga, -1 Taça de Portugal, +4 UEFA Champions League, +3 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira)Clean sheets 17 (13 Primeira Liga, 1 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, 3 UEFA Champions League)Yellow cards 73 (60 Primeira Liga, 1 Taça de Portugal, 10 UEFA Champions League, 2 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira)Red cards 1 (1 Primeira Liga)Worst discipline Paulo Assunção (11 )Best result(s) W 5 – 0 (A) v Beira-Mar – Primeira Liga – 25 February 2007Worst result(s) L 0 – 2 (A) v Arsenal – UEFA Champions League – 26 September 2006Most Appearances Helton (39 appearances)Top scorer(s) Adriano & Lucho González (22 goals)
References