Porto hope Villas Boas is next 'special one'

Eight years on from success in Seville against Martin O'Neill's Celtic, Porto are on the brink of a return to the Europa League final guided by a new rising star on the touchline.

Portugal's Andr Villas Boas has had to live in Jose Mourinho's shadow for most of his career, but his abilities as a stand-alone coach are beginning to get the praise they deserve. Villas Boas was Mourinho's assistant for seven years, through spells at Porto, Chelsea and Inter, until last season the opportunity to return to his homeland as his own man was too good to refuse.

In seven months he managed to guide Acadmica de Coimbra from relegation certainties to mid-table respectability, a feat so impressive that in the summer Porto offered him a return to the Estdio do Drago. A further nine months down the line and the 2004 European champions have been transformed from a club in crisis back to the dominant force in Portuguese football.

A league record that reads P 27 W 25 L 0 F 64 A 13 saw the championship wrapped up with five games to spare after victory at Benfica last month. On the continent they have been as spectacular, demolishing Spartak Moscow 10-3 in the quarter-finals.

However, Porto face their stiffest test this season if they are to make Dublin in May, with another Iberian coaching protg, Villareal's Juan Carlos Garrido, occupying the opposition dugout this evening.

For the first half of this season Villarreal were a joy to watch. Their brand of attractive, attacking football brought to life by players of the quality of Santi Cazorla, Borja Valero, Nilmar and Giuseppe Rossi. They were even leading the league for much of the season - their league that is, the one they and the other 17 teams behind Barcelona and Real Madrid play in.

Since the turn of the year domestic results have slipped as the focus has turned to Europe. Still the Champions League should be blessed by their presence next season as they sit in fourth place with only five games remaining.

Now though for two of Europe's most entertaining sides it is Dublin that is on the mind.Villas Boas is determined to lose the tag of "the next Mourinho". Villarreal hope he is not so special.

Tonight also sees the first ever semi-final between two Portuguese sides in a UEFA club competition, as Benfica take on Sporting Braga in Lisbon. Benfica are on a six-game unbeaten run in Europe since the turn of the year, winning four and drawing two, while Braga have drawn their past three Europa League games.