2004 Uefa champions League winners “ Fc Porto” host Roma for the first leg of a two legged Champion league qualifier affair.
Porto finished 3rd at the end of 2015/2016 Portuguese Primeira league campaign, will fight for their place in their group satage of 2016/2017 season Uefa Champions league. Nuno Espirito Santos led team, started their the league season with an emphatic 3-1 away victory over Rio Aves. The Portuguese will however be hoping to replicate such great performance and result when Roma comes visiting on Wednesday
Roma finished 2015/2016 season with 2 point adrift of the position for a straight Uefa Champions’ league group stage ticket. Luciano Spalletti led side gathered 82 point to claim the 3rd position at end of the 2015/2016 Seria A season. Though the Seria A season as not started (i.e. 2016/2017), Roma have been getting busy with many friendly, in which they have produced some nice performances. And will hoping to go through to the next round in what is their first Uefa champions league play-off.
Porto Vs Roma: Key Facts
- Porto maintains 5 game unbeaten runs
- Porto won 3 of their last 5 competitive game at home, and lost 2
- Roma maintains 5 games winning streak going in to this clash
- Roma are also unbeaten in 5 away games in a competitive match.
Porto: Team News
Nuno Esprito who is just joining the Portuguese giant, will be going into this game with is best squad, as he as no major injury headache
Porto: Predicted Line-Up (4-2-3-1)
Casillas – M.Pereira, Felipe, Marcano, Telles – D. Pereira, Herrera – Corona, Andre, Otavinho – Valente.
Roma: Team News
Spalletti will be without the services of 3 defenders for this clash due to knee injury suffered by the trio. Nigerian Abdullahi Nura, German Antonio Rudiger, and portuges Mario Rui are the three men that would be out of this one.
Roma: Predicted Line-Up (4-3-3)
Szczesny – Florenzi, Vermaelen, Fazio, Juan – Nainggolan, De Rossi, Gerson – Iturbe, Totti, Salah.
Porto Vs Roma: Head to Head
Both side haven’t met in the 21st century, and since the beginning of a new era in club European competition.
However, Porto have a lot of experience with playing Italian side with the unforgettable one been their 1-0 loss to Ac Milan in the 2003 UEFA Super Cup that took place in Monaco.
Same goes for Roma experience with Portuguese team. The Italian giant has 12 encounters with a Portugal based club, and lost 3 times, with 2 of the 3 defeat been in one of the legs played in Portugal
Porto Vs Roma: Prediction
Porto will be more composed going into this one, as the Portuguese league kick started on Friday which will serve as a competitive game playing advantage to Porto compared to Roma.
Both side are looking to redeem their image when it comes to playing in this competition, as they both failed to score in their last 3 European competition game.
Moreover, it will be soar fight that I think will be won over two legs but I see Porto nicking this one on Wednesday.
Betting odds (via NaijaBet)