Porto vs Napoli - prediction, team news, lineups

One of 3 teams inactive without a point, Porto volition again effort to get disconnected the people successful this season's Champions League erstwhile Napoli sojourn Estadio bash Dragao connected Wednesday evening.

While the Italian broadside got up and moving past clip out, they person mislaid six and won nary of their past 7 distant games astatine Europe's apical level.

Match preview

Last month's 1-0 location nonaccomplishment to PSV Eindhoven was Porto's 3rd consecutive Champions League defeat, leaving them successful information of failing to marque the knockout rounds aboriginal this term.

Following erstwhile setbacks against Manchester City and Real Betis, the Dragons person crucially conceded the archetypal extremity each time, ever putting them connected the backmost foot.

So, approaching the midpoint of this season's league phase, Porto request astatine slightest 9 points conscionable to scope the playoffs - and that whitethorn not adjacent beryllium enough.

Still facing pugnacious trips to Feyenoord and Liverpool, Francesco Farioli's men indispensable effort to maximise location vantage successful midweek, having continued their home domination past clip out.

After ending a three-year hold for the Portuguese title, they person brought that signifier into the existent campaign: 10 consecutive wins person enactment them good wide of some Lisbon clubs atop the Primeira Liga table.

Keeping yet different cleanable sheet, Porto strolled to a 4-0 triumph against rock-bottom Estoril astatine the weekend, and they person lone conceded 4 goals truthful far.

However, they are present expected to marque much of an interaction successful Europe, arsenic the erstwhile Champions League winners look to regain mislaid glories.

When Farioli hosts his chap Tuscan Massimiliano Allegri connected Wednesday, it volition people the 5th competitory gathering betwixt Porto and Napoli.

In a mates of two-legged ties, each broadside has gone done once: the Italian broadside progressed successful the 1974-75 UEFA Cup, and Porto won 3-2 connected aggregate successful the 2013-14 Europa League.

This time, Napoli are 3 points up of their Portuguese counterparts successful the Champions League, aft edging a chaotic seven-goal contention against Bodo/Glimt connected matchday three. 

Having mislaid to Arsenal and Villarreal earlier welcoming the Norwegian giant-killers to Campania, they yet posted the club's 100th triumph successful UEFA competition, mostly acknowledgment to Scott McTominay's brace.

Yet, earlier mounting disconnected for bluish Portugal, Napoli are winless successful 7 Champions League distant games, which partially explains wherefore they finished 30th successful the 36-team array past term. 

A erstwhile finalist with Juventus, Allegri has personally mislaid 8 of his past 10 matches astatine the elite level, and helium is besides nether unit for immoderate dismal home results. 

After his existent squad mislaid 2-0 to Juve connected Sunday evening, they prevarication eighth successful the Serie A standings and - with a 14-point shortage to astonishment leaders Lazio - are surely already retired of the rubric race.

Porto Champions League form:

Porto signifier (all competitions):

Napoli Champions League form:

Napoli signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Porto are inactive missing injured brace William Gomes and Vasco Sousa, portion it remains to beryllium seen if Polish winger Oskar Pietuszewski volition beryllium acceptable to play successful midweek.

The second skipped Saturday's league fixture with a insignificant thigh problem, portion left-back Zaidu limped disconnected astatine fractional clip owed to a genu issue. 

Martim Fernandes missed that crippled with tonsillitis but could beryllium progressive connected Wednesday; Chris Smalling, Gabriel Mec and Dominik Prpic volition not, having been near disconnected Farioli's Champions League list.

Allegri's options person been trimmed by a fig of absences: Alessandro Buongiorno, David Neres, Costantino Favasuli, Alisson Santos, Leonardo Spinazzola and Benoit Badiashile were already unavailable earlier Stanislav Lobotka injured his near ankle past week.

Vanja-Milinkovic Savic besides missed the decision to Juventus with a knock, and first-choice striker Rasmus Hojlund was sidelined by flu.

Furthermore, full-backs Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Mathias Olivera some sustained muscular injuries successful Turin.

Notwithstanding a flimsy ankle sprain, Kevin De Bruyne is acceptable for his 86th Champions League appearance: the Belgian seasoned has created 10 chances from unfastened play successful this season's edition, and lone Lamine Yamal (11) has managed more. 

Porto imaginable starting lineup:

D. Costa; A. Costa, Bednarek, Kiwior, Zaidu; Froholdt, Rosario, Veiga; Pepe, Samu, Sainz

Napoli imaginable starting lineup:

Meret; Beukema, Rrahmani, Marin; Politano, Anguissa, De Bruyne, Olivera; McTominay, Vergara; Hojlund

We say: Porto 2-1 Napoli 

The operation of Porto's stunning home signifier and Napoli's away-day woes powerfully suggest a location triumph connected Wednesday night.

Struggling successful Serie A, the Italian broadside are besides burdened by a immense wounded list, truthful their hosts tin yet enactment immoderate points connected the board.

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