The Miracle of FC Pacos de Ferreira
Andy Greeves reports on Portuguese football's unlikely success story, FC Pacos de Ferreira.
Among the elite European clubs such as Arsenal, AC Milan and Schalke 04 that will be entered into the UEFA Champions League play-off draw on August 9 are a team that will be known to few people outside their native Portugal. Despite having been in the Portuguese Primeira Liga for seven consecutive seasons (eight come 2013-14) and 15 campaigns in total, Futebol Clube Pacos de Ferreira are a relative football minnow. Should they make it to the group stages of Europe's premier team competition, they will be one of the smallest clubs in the tournament's history to do so.
Based in north Portugal, around 35 km from Oporto, FC Pacos come from a town with a population of just 8,500 people (2001 census). In contrast, Portugal's big boys Benfica and Sporting come from Lisbon with a population of over three million while Porto can draw on a metropolitan area of some 1.7m people. Their home crowds are tiny and throughout last season an average of just 1,769 turned out to watch their matches - less than the average 1,849 crowd at matches in England's Football Conference last season and also the lowest in the Premeira Liga. Unsurprisingly, they also hosted the division's least attended match last season when just 1,221 turn out to see FC Pacos draw 1-1 with Moreirense on August 19, 2012.
FC Pacos is a team run on a shoe string. Local reports suggest the club operates on a budget of just 3.5m euros a year and club director Miguel says the amount is even less than that quoted. Bolstering Pacos' underdog credentials is their home stadium, the Mata Real, which is the smallest in Portugal's top flight with a capacity of just 5,255. This capacity and facilities (or should that be lack of facilities) on site means the ground would not meet UEFA regulations to host UEFA Champions League fixtures. Pacos will have to relocate for matches in this competition to a nearby ground such as Vitoria de Guimaraes' Estadio D. Afonso Henriques, which holds 30,152 spectators, SC Braga's Estadio Municipal de Braga (30,152) or Porto's Estadio do Dragao (50,399).
European football has rarely figured in the FC Pacos agenda with Os Castores or the 'Beavers' as they are nicknamed having play just three competitive continental ties in their 63 year history to date. They lost 1-0 on aggregate to AZ of the Netherlands in the First Round of the UEFA Cup in 2007-08 on their European debut six years ago. They achieved their only European victory to date two years later with a 1-0 aggregate win over Zimbru Chisinau of Moldova in the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round in 2009-10. They were promptly dispatched in the third qualifying round by Bnei Yehuda of Israel 2-0 on aggregate though.
All this talk of FC Pacos' humble background and constraints in terms of budget and infrastructure will not concern the club, its players or supporters a jot going into the UEFA Champions League play-off round. In fact, many will think the club can use its underdog tag to its advantage both domestically and in Europe next season. Certainly, whichever seeded team is draw to play Os Castores in the UEFA Champions League play-off will largely be taking a trip into the unknown and as opposition from the Primeira Liga can testify, you underestimate Pacos at your peril.
Playing some scintillating football at times last season, Pacos won 14, drew 12 and lost just four of their Primeira Liga matches to achieve their best ever league finish of third. Their qualification to the UEFA Champions League group stage came at the expense of far more established teams in the country such as SC Braga, Boavista and Maritimo. Notable results included a 3-2 win away at top three rivals Braga and home and away triumphs against Sporting Lisbon. Indeed, throughout the campaign, they only lost to the Primeira Liga's top two - Porto and Benfica - both at home and away. They also made it through to the semi final of Portuguese cup before bowing out to Benfica 3-1 on aggregate.
FC Pacos' success certainly didn't go unnoticed in their homeland and sought-after manager Paulo Fonseca recently departed to take charge at reigning champions FC Porto. He took young attacking midfield talent Josue with him - the 22-year-old having shone throughout his two seasons with Os Castores. Brazilian Luiz Carlos has been snapped up by rivals SC Braga on a free transfer during the close season, having seen out his contract at Mata Real and the club also expects to have a fight on its hands to keep gifted 22-year-old forward Rui Caetano - son of former Portugal international Agostinho.
Under their former manager Paulo Fonseca, FC Pacos played an attacking style of football operating either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation during 2012-13. Key components of the side last season included defensive midfielder Andre Leao, a former transfer target for Swansea City and 29-year-old creative midfielder Vitor alongside him. Forward Cicero showed glimpses of recovering the form that once saw him move from Braga to Dynamo Moscow in a multi-million euro deal while 22-year-old winger and Peru international Paolo Hurtado has impressed since signing from Alianza Lima in 2012, scoring 8 goals in 25 league appearances. Much is expected of young striker Caetano, who put in a string of good performances last term.
The man charged with bringing together a promising team and leading them into their UEFA Champions League debut is former Portuguese international midfielder Costinha, who was recently appointed Pacos' new manager.
Costinha was an excellent player and a key member of Jose Mourinho's Porto's side which won the UEFA Cup in 2003 and UEFA Champions League two years later. He played 53 times for Portugal scoring two goals, representing them at the European Championships in 2000 and 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The 38-year-old has minimal managerial experience, bar a short spell at Beira-Mar earlier this year, though he has previously worked as a Director of Football at Sporting Lisbon and Swiss club Servette.
Improving, or indeed replicating the success achieved by Paulo Fonseca last season is a steep target for Costinha, who will also be looking to guide Pacos into the group stages of the UEFA Champions League. It is unclear how he will look for his team to play, the kind of players he will try and sign with Pacos limited transfer budget and indeed whether the gamble of hiring someone with minimal managerial experience will pay off for his new employers. What is certain though is there is no shortage of excitement and ambition from both parties ahead of the new season.
"It's an enormous pleasure and honour to be here (Pacos) because this is a real family - Pacos are the champions of humility," Costinha told the press conference to announce his appointment. "This step is very important for me and the coaching staff. [Repeating] the third place last season is a difficult goal but nothing is impossible. We want to continue Pacos's good work in recent years."
Pacos are three times winners of Portugal's second tier, the Segunda Liga, in seasons 1990-91, 1999-2000 and 2004-2005. Apart from that, success has been scarce and prior to their third placed and highest ever league position last season, their best achievements have been making the finals of the Portuguese Cup and Super Cup in 2009 and Portuguese League Cup in 2011. Pacos are in the midst of the most illustrious chapter of their history and should they make it to the UEFA Champions League group stages, riches will follow for this small club punching above their weight at home and abroad.
Related Football Articles
Buy tickets for soccer matches around the world