Porto favourites

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE/FC Porto V Lyon: Porto coach Jose Mourinho is fighting injuries and the threat of complacency as his side prepare to follow up their shock win over Manchester United with a quarter-final victory against Olympique Lyon.

Porto, who scooped the UEFA Cup and the Portuguese league and cup in a memorable treble last season, showed their growing confidence in Europe with a 3-2 aggregate win over United in the last round. The reward for that upset was a relatively accessible draw with Lyon, but Mourinho was shrugging off the tag of favourites ahead of tonight's first leg in Porto.

"Lyon know what they're doing," Mourinho said. "I don't care at all about what's being said in Portugal. The simple fact is we'll have to be at our best to go through."

Porto, cruising towards the Portuguese title again, had the luxury of postponing their game against Nacional Madeira at the weekend, a break that should help Mourinho work around a lengthening injury list.

Captain Jorge Costa is still out with the thigh injury that forced him off against Manchester United and will join Derlei Silva, Marco Ferreira, Cesar Peixoto and Ricardo Costa on the sidelines for the first leg.

Midfielder Pedro Mendes is recovering from a thigh problem and should at least be fit enough to make the squad. Wingers Sergio Conceicao and Maciel Cunha are ineligible.

Lithuanian striker Edgaras Jankauskas, who scored a hat-trick to earn Porto a place in the Portuguese Cup final last week, is likely to start alongside in-form South African Benni McCarthy.

Olympique Lyon are on a high after claiming the French Ligue One top spot from Monaco on goal difference, but they are also taking a cautious approach.

"Porto probably are a better team overall, but the truth will come from the pitch," chairman Jean-Michel Aulas told reporters.

"We wanted to reach the last eight. We have done it. A good result against Porto would be a bonus."

Lyon striker Sidney Govou feels his side will be a threat away from home: "We won at Real Sociedad in the quarter-finals. We proved we could travel."

Coach Paul Le Guen will be able to field goalkeeper Gregory Coupet, who has recovered from a wrist injury.

PORTO (probable): Baia; Ferreira, Emanuel, o Carvalho, Valente, Costinha, Ribeiro, Alenitchev, Deco, Jankauskas, McCarthy.

OLYMPIQUE LYON (probable): Coupet; Deflandre, Edmilson, Mueller, Reveillere, Diarra, Juninho, Dhorasoo, Govou, Luyindula, Elber.

Referee: Terje Hauge (Norway)