VETERAN Porto defender Pepe has been hailed for his performance in his side’s stunning Champions League triumph over Juventus.
And this 120th-minute overhead kick clearance summed up just how heroic the 38-year-old’s defending was on a magical night.
Pepe launched himself with an overhead kick to clear from dangerCredit: BT Sport
Porto lost the second leg 3-2, but a 2-1 win in the home leg meant the Portuguese side went through on away goals.
And while Sergio Oliveira will rightly get the plaudits for his crucial 115th-minute free-kick goal that sealed their passage through, Pepe was sensational at the back.
The former Real Madrid centre-half was praised by another expert in his position – former Manchester United and England icon Rio Ferdinand.
Speaking on BT Sport, the 42-year-old said: “If I am coaching at a football club now, I’d get these clips, and give them to every young centre half at the club to watch – in terms of positional, desire, communication, awareness, sensing and smelling danger of where to be and using your body, as well in terms of defending the box.
“What we normally see with young defenders nowadays is they are they good on the ball, but how about defending your box.
“And far too often we see these young defenders, and defenders of maturity still in the game today, they get their feet muddled up, their body positions are wrong.
“That was an almost perfect performance in terms of defending your box and that is something that should be sent around to all the young centre halves.”
Pepe’s performance in guiding Porto past their illustrious opponents also impressed Ferdinand’s fellow BT Sport pundit for the night Joe Cole.
Pepe was at the heart of Porto’s defendingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The ball was then pumped further afield as Porto held onCredit: BT Sport
The ex-Chelsea man added: “Me and Rio were talking about what centre halves you’d take at Man United and Chelsea, the young ones and that.
“And here is a 38-year-old who has been one of the top centre-backs around for the last decade just reading the game.
“By the way, he still covers the ground. On the ball he was on point, just doing everything you want your centre half to do. And he has still got to be one of the top centre halves in Europe.
“We don’t get to see him regularly but just the way he controlled distance, eased players out. Imagine being a young centre-half and having been able to play next to him and learn.”
Ten-man Porto were under the cosh until the very last whistle, but Pepe’s warrior-like performance saw them sneak through.
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Rio Ferdinand was left purring at Pepe’s performance
Pepe showed he still has ‘it’ even at the age of 38Credit: AFP or licensors
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
