Porto remain winless in this season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL) and will look to correct course by snapping a winless streak against Italian sides when they host Napoli.
Match News and Current Form
Only three sides lost their opening three UCL league phase games, and Porto were one of them, but they’ve at least managed to string together three successive domestic wins to nil since their last European defeat. The last two of those came at home, although there’s been little relief at Estádio do Dragão in the UCL this term, with their two defeats putting them at risk of losing three consecutive home matches in major European competition since their first-ever three between 1956 and 1962. Unwanted history certainly looks plausible on account of a torrid record against Italian opposition too, with Porto winless in their last six European games against sides from Italy (D3, L3).
After losing their opening two league phase games, Napoli responded on matchday three with a 4-3 win over Bodø/Glimt which kick-started a three-match unbeaten run. That was ended on Sunday night by a 2-0 defeat at Juventus, but Napoli could produce the perfect response here as a victory would see them collect back-to-back UCL wins for the first time since March 2023. A failure to win any of their last seven UCL away games (D1, L6) offers a huge note of caution on that front, and their shortcomings haven’t been limited solely to Europe as they’ve also won just one of their last six competitive road trips (D1, L4).
Head-to-Head History
Napoli have shaded the H2H history between this pair (W2, D1, L1), but the last Italian club to win away at Porto was Juventus in February 2017, with Porto unbeaten in six such meetings since (W4, D2).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Porto conceded first in their last four UCL matches.
All eight of the goals in Porto’s UCL games this term arrived in the second half.
Napoli have lost all 14 UCL proper away games in which they trailed at half-time.
Napoli’s last five UCL outings produced a goal after the 70th minute.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
Porto’s Pablo Rosario has committed a team-high six fouls across the first three league phase rounds, but he’s also been involved at the other end with only one Porto player attempting more shots after three UCL rounds. Matteo Politano has racked up five goal involvements (G2, A3) across Napoli’s last four games, with three of his last four goals opening the scoring.
Porto’s Chris Smalling picked up an injury last week, while Kevin De Bruyne joined Napoli’s lengthy injury list against Juventus.
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Betting Analysis
No goals being scored in the first half of Porto’s UCL games this term hints that the second half could be the highest scoring.
Author: Chris Wilson
