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By Emanuele Venturoli| Posted February 14, 2018 | In football, MotoGP
Liverpool embarrass FC Porto in a 5-Star performance
FC Porto 0 vs 5 Liverpool (UEFA Champions League last 16 1st Leg) 14th February 2018
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool headed to the Estádio do Dragão in Portugal looking to gain a positive result as they make their first appearance in the knockout spots of the Champions league for 9 years. Virgil Van Dijk also made his Champions League debut. Two-time Champions League winners Porto were without the prolific Vincent Aboubakar for the important tie. Liverpool were the favourites in the tie as they looked to find some away goals to bring back to England.
Early in the match, Porto seemed content with allowing Liverpool to play keep ball, fully knowing that an open game would lead right into Liverpool’s hands. Octavio had an early chance to put the home side into the lead thanks to some sloppy defending, but only a last ditch Lovren tackle helped to spare Liverpool’s blushes. Liverpool got the important away goal midway into the 1st half when Sadio Mane’s shot was fumbled into the back of the Porto net. Questions would be asked whether the experienced Iker Casillas who was the on the bench would have made a better fist of that. It would get much worse for Porto when Mohammed Salah was able score after a James Milner strike crashed into the post and came out to the Egyptian international. Salah showing some absolutely gorgeous skill in doubling the Liverpool lead. It’s fair to say that Porto looked completely stunned. On the stroke of half time Soares had a great opportunity to send the Portuguese side in at half time only one behind but his effort went wide of the post. The first half ended 2-0 thanks to Salah’s 30th goal this season.
As the 2nd half started, the usual thoughts echoed; will Liverpool increase the doom and gloom onto Porto or would the shaky Liverpool defence allow Porto a way back into the tie (I had no faith that Porto could a find a way back without an assist from Liverpool). Within the first few moments of the 2nd half, the questions were answered when Liverpool sprung a wonderful counter attack that was finished by Sadio Mane when the keeper was only able to palm away Firmino’s shot into the Mane’s path. The question now was surely how many Liverpool would get and they duly delivered when they made it four thanks to Roberto Firmino after a square ball from James Milner. Mane could have even made it five shortly after, but he just couldn’t control the half volley after a lovely cross from the left. Mane didn’t have to wait too long to round off his performance with a hattrick after a scorching long range shot which gave Liverpool a five goal lead. Liverpool have complete control in the tie as they look to very easily gain access to the quarter finals over a very lacklustre Porto side, and that’s being kind.
Writer’s view
I felt Liverpool were the favourites going in, but was not expecting such a terrible display by Porto. They just never turned up and looked woeful in every single part of the pitch. Awful strike force, awful midfield, awful defence and well, awful keeper. Just plain awful. Liverpool however were superb, and surprisingly didn’t really look like conceding either, however, they were never really tested by Porto. Offensively, Liverpool were just magnificent and always looked like creating chances. Any team that gets Liverpool in the quarter finals will not be looking forward to the tie. Yes, I’m already confident that Liverpool are through even with 90 minutes left in the tie. I guarantee that Porto will not overturn their five goal deficit.
By Christopher Marriott
Emanuele Venturoli
A graduate in Public, Social and Political Communication from the University of Bologna, he has always been passionate about marketing, design and sport.
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Read MoreWhy choose RTR Sports Marketing
In an era where it is possible to get anywhere with a click, there is a strong temptation to approach teams and properties directly for sponsorship projects.
By doing so, we are convinced that we are shortening the value chain, saving time and money. However, these DYI methods are anything but risk-free and what initially appears to be a competitive advantage soon turns into a problem that is difficult to resolve. That’s why there are agencies. And this is why you should rely on us for your sponsorships.
Save time and money
When first approaching a sponsorship or sports marketing project, it is difficult to know immediately which stakeholders are correct, what the decision flow is, and what the right timelines are for each process. Sports is a very specialized field of action, and fitting effectively into its paths can take a lot of time and therefore money. We, on the other hand, know referents and spheres of action and know who to talk to, when and how. So you are also more effective.
The right information, the right choice
Sports is an immense passion, and for our heart colors we would be willing to do anything. But business is a different business, and it is important to make the best possible strategic decisions based on independent research, statistics and reliable data. A sports marketing and sports sponsorship agency like RTR has an objective, 360-degree picture of the scenario and can tell you what is really best for you: which sport, which athlete, which team. This is because we possess a great deal of data and information on ratings, segmentation and attitudes. Because the numbers don’t lie. Never.
Activations are the beating heart
Activations are the real heart of sports sponsorship. Without them, there remains only a blank sticker on a motorcycle, car or uniform and no contact with the public, no emotional connection, no impact on the bottom line. Then how do you do it? It certainly won’t be the teams or the athletes who will help you leverage sponsorship and enjoy the many marketing rights you have paid for. To bring out the best in a sports marketing project you need an agency that knows how to use sponsorship to engage the fanbase on the Web, to reach out to Shopping Centers, to organize hospitality, to develop B2B and B2C opportunities, and to get “your” athletes in front of millions of potential consumers.
Objective measurements for a certain return
Would you ever go to the dealer who sold you the car and ask if the competitor’s car is better? No, of course. So, how do you expect to get firm measurements of the effectiveness of your sponsorship if you do not rely on someone super partes? At RTR, we have always worked with independent third-party agencies that allow us to know the return on any exposure of your brand on TV and in the media. In addition, we believe in calculating ROI as the ultimate measure of your success-so we can tell you for every penny you spend how much you are making.
Sit back, relax, we’ll take care of it
We have been involved in sports sponsorship and sports marketing for more than 15 years. We are consultants in the sense that our goal is to maximize your investment, but we are also an agency that manages the project from start to finish. We have been doing this since 1995 with passion and professionalism, following three principles that have become cornerstones of our business: independence, verticality and transparency.
I would like to highlight the fact that one of the qualities of RTR is its great ability to approach the sponsorship scenario strategically, together with its passionate attitude, its amazing enthusiasm for solving problems, and its high level of professionalism.
Gianluca Degliesposti
Executive Director Server&Storage EMEA
Eurosport is truly delighted with its business relationship with Riccardo Tafà, who has become extremely popular, thanks to his detailed knowledge of the sports marketing sector and his highly diligent attitude to work.
Francois Ribeiro
Commercial Director
Passion and Expertise are the features that I have found in RTR since the very beginning. Serious and reliable professionals but also very helpful, nice and open-mind people, willing to listen and compare different ideas. All the values in which RTR believes make this agency a partner, not just a supplier, a partner with whom we have had the opportunity to achieve significant commercial results in term of success and image.
Luca Pacitto
Head of Communication
We have been working with RTR Sports Marketing for over 10 years. The objectives and the programmes of collaboration continue to be renewed and to grow with mutual satisfaction. I believe RTR is a team of great professionals led by Riccardo Tafà, who I consider a manager of exceptional skills and with a great passion for his work.
Lucio Cecchinello
Team Principal
I have known and worked with Riccardo Tafà since 1995 when we collaborated for the first time on a project for the Williams Formula 1 team. Several clients followed. After leaving Williams to work for Gerhard Berger then owner of the Toro Rosso F1 Team, I turned again to Riccardo to seek his help in finding a tool supplier for the team and Riccardo duly obliged with an introduction to USAG, a partnership with Toro Rosso which endured for five years. I recently started a new role as Group Commercial Director for the renowned Andretti Autosport organisation and I find myself working with Riccardo once again on a number of interesting projects. Why has this relationship with Riccardo endured ? He’s smart, knows the commercial side of sport inside out and back to front and he’s honest and trustworthy. Riccardo Tafà is a “doer” not a “talker”: in over 20 years I have never had a dispute either with him or with a company that he has introduced and each partnership introduced by Riccardo has delivered quantifiable ROI to rights holder and sponsor alike. I can think of no better testimonial of Riccardo’s diligence, knowledge, contact base and hard work than that.
Jim Wright
Group Commercial Director
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