The Primeira Liga’s late kick-off on Friday will witness a city rivalry as Porto travels to Estadio do Bessa Seculo XXI to face local rivals Boavista.
Boavista currently stands 13th in the league standings with 16 points from 15 games, while Porto holds the third spot with 34 points in the same number of matches.
Match Preview
Boavista’s 2023 has been a tale of two halves. They started strongly, securing four wins and a draw in their initial five league games, positioning themselves in the top seven.
However, a downturn in form has seen them without a win in the last 10 league matches, losing seven and drawing three.
Their recent 1-0 loss to Gil Vicente places them uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.
After former manager Petit’s departure, interim coach Ricardo Paiva will aim to stabilize the team against Porto, though history suggests a daunting task as Boavista hasn’t defeated Porto in their last 16 encounters.
On the other side, Porto aims to start the New Year strongly and secure a victory to potentially move into second place in the league standings.
With 11 wins, one draw, and three losses, they possess the second-best defensive record, having conceded only 11 goals so far.
Despite a recent 2-0 defeat against league leaders Sporting, Porto remains in good form with just one loss in their last five league games.
Their away record against Boavista is impressive, having won their last seven visits and dominating them with a 43-5 goal margin during their unbeaten streak.
Team News
Boavista will miss goalkeeper Cesar due to a serious cruciate ligament injury, while Augusto Dabo is also unavailable due to injury.
Defensive players Chidozie Awaziem and Bruno Onyemaechi are on international duty with Nigeria.
Porto’s absentees include Samuel Portugal (groin), Ivan Marcano (ACL), and Gabriel Veron (Achilles), all sidelined due to injuries.
Pepe continues to serve a three-match suspension, while Mehdi Taremi and Zaidu Sanusi are on international duty.
Predicted Lineups
Boavista: (4-2-3-1)
Goncalves;
Malheiro, Abascal, Ferreira, Miguel;
Vukotic, Reisinho;
Morais, Lourenco, Agra;
Bozenik
Porto: (4-4-2)
Costa;
Mario, Pedro, Cardoso, Wendell;
Pepe, Eustaquio, Varela, Franco;
Martinez, Evanilson
Prediction: Boavista 1-3 Porto
Despite key absentees for both teams, Porto’s superior squad depth and historical dominance against Boavista indicate a favorable outcome for the visitors.
Boavista’s defensive frailties might struggle against Porto’s attacking prowess, leading to a comfortable win for Porto in this encounter.