Pepe: I won the UCL three times, and this one with Porto will be the fourth

Porto have re-established themselves as Portuguese football's strongest domestic force after a number of years in the wilderness due to financial difficulties, and Pepe believes that the 2018/19 season will see him claim his fourth Champions League title.

Having won the famous trophy with Real Madrid on three occasions, the Portuguese defender believes that the squad Sergio Conceicao has put together is more than capable of matching the feat achieved by Jose Mourinho's charges back in the 2003/04 season.

"I've won the Champions League three times, and this season will be the fourth, God willing," Pepe explained in an interview with UEFA.com

"We know it's going to be very difficult, against a tough team like Liverpool, who play perfectly in the image of their coach.

"We're the same team that we've been throughout the tournament, we fight for everything."

Having left Real Madrid for Besiktas in Turkey, the Brazilian born defender was delighted to be handed the chance to return to Oporto and the club where he made his name in Europe.

"It was a dream I'd always had, to be back where I was happy," he confirmed.

"This club taught me and made me the player I am.

"I left a small island to live in Europe, I had to adapt very quickly."

Despite taking a while to fully settle into life in the Spanish capital, the Portuguese international is proud that he managed to forge such a success career at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, despite having been previously warned it wouldn't be possible given the nature of the club.

"When I signed for Real Madrid, I was told that central defenders failed there," he admitted.

"I was told that great defenders hadn't achieved their goal at the club. However, I played there for 10 years and won many trophies."

Eder Militao will follow the path set by Pepe when he completes his transfer from Porto to Real Madrid in the summer, and the veteran believes it is the perfect move for the Brazilian.

"In this Porto team we have very good defenders," he intimated.

"There are central defenders here that, in my opinion, could play well for a club like Real Madrid because they have a lot of quality.

"This has been proven as Militao has already been signed by Real."