Samu Aghehowa returned to action for Porto after 223 days out with a serious cruciate ligament knee injury. The 22-year-old Spanish forward played the final five minutes of his team's 3-1 win over Benfica, just before they face Real Betis Balompié in the Champions League.
The match between Betis and Porto is scheduled for 14 October at 21:00 at the Benito Villamarín. It will be the second matchday of the Champions League league phase and marks the historic return of the Verdiblancos to Europe's top competition. Aghehowa, who came through youth ranks in Sevilla, Granada and Nervión, expressed his joy on Instagram after his comeback. "223 days later… back to the place I always wanted to be," the player wrote. "Thank God for sustaining me throughout this difficult journey.".
Aghehowa's return adds another attacking option to a Porto side that leads the Portuguese league with 21 points from seven games. The Portuguese team, however, lost their opening European match this season 0-2 to Manchester City. For Betis, who sit third in La Liga with 16 points, the European clash comes after a 1-1 draw with Deportivo La Coruna at Riazor. Cucho Hernández scored Betis's goal in that match, and Manuel Pellegrini's side have now gone 511 minutes of play since conceding a goal, a figure that underlines their current defensive solidity.
Pellegrini's side now have a league fixture against Osasuna on 11 October at 21:00 at La Cartuja, an opponent they drew 1-1 with last season. Afterwards, all focus will shift to the Champions League. Aghehowa's return, which cost him a place in Spain's World Cup-winning squad last summer due to the injury, is a relevant piece of news ahead of a key match. Betis, who are on a run of four wins and a draw in their last five games, can check their full schedule in the fixture list, where their next engagement after Porto is a visit to Rayo Vallecano on 18 October.
Read the full report at ABC Deportes
