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Portugal – From Moussa Marega The way to the top in football hardly resembles the career of Thierry Henry. FC Porto The attacker shares one point in common with the French legend.
"We are from the same city, we are both born in Ulis" in the Parisian suburbs, Marega told UEFA.com.
"He was my first idol, he's also an attacker and I've always dreamed of being an attacker and scoring as many goals as him."
As a late arrival at the elite level, the Malian Central International's 28-year-old might never match Henry's statistics.
However, his goals have played a big role in his club's success over the last 18 months and he is expected to once again lead Porto's UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday against Liverpool in a Estadio do Dragao.
Last week, Marega was a threat to Liverpool's defense at Anfield but could not prevent his team from losing 2-0, which means his hopes of moving to a first semifinal since the win in 2004 appear thin.
Marega, however, had an excuse.
"Marega has spent most of the day throwing up," said coach Sergio Conceicao.
Porto have won all four home games of the Champions League this season, but the memories of Liverpool's last visit remain lively: the Premier League team won the 5-0 win in North Portugal during of the 16 games to go played a year ago.
Marega did not score at the time, but he was the top scorer of his team with 22 goals in the league since he won the Portuguese title.
Illustrative company
This season, he has 18 in all competitions, including six in eight Champions League games, including a valuable goal in the 3-1 home win against Roma in the final round.
Prior to this week's matches, only Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski – each with eight – scored more.
It is an illustrious company to keep for a player who has not gone through the academy of an important club. Instead, he climbed the ladder up to the French Third Division, where he was playing for Amiens.
In 2014, he joined Esperance in Tunisia, but spent six months without playing due to administrative problems before moving to Portugal.
An impressive episode at Maritimo has persuaded Porto to have Marega sign under the nose of Sporting Lisbon in 2016 and he has become a key player for the Conceicao team since his successful loan to Vitoria Guimaraes.
After playing the game at Anfield, the powerful and powerful striker scored his first goal in 2019, while Porto squeezed 3-0 at Portimonense on Saturday to stay tied for points with leader Benfica in top of the ranking.
Marega should now team up with Yacine Brahimi and Francisco Soares in a third row that will try to break Liverpool's formidable defense.
"The whole team plays well in the Champions League, but if I had to pick someone who makes the difference and gives strength and positive energy to the team, it would require that it's Marega, "said his teammate, the Brazilian Full back Alex Telles.
Marega and Porto are dreaming of another victory in the Champions League after already eliminating their deficit in the first leg against Roma.
"There is still 90 minutes tied and I call all our supporters to come forward and create the same climate as against the Roma," Conceicao said.
"We will of course give everything on the pitch to try to get through."
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