Porto take on Lazio in one of the most intriguing Europa League playoff knockout round at the Estadio do Dragao on Thursday night with kickoff at 23:00.
After claiming five points from their six matches in Group B of the UEFA Champions League, Porto finished third with 13 points behind group leaders Liverpool, two behind runners-up Atletico Madrid and one above the rock-bottom AC Milan. As a result Porto were transferred to the Europa league where they start in round of 32 hosting the first leg against a Serie A outfit Lazio.
Now Sergio Comceicao’s side will hope to make a good Europa Conference League campaign to replace their minimal Champions League group stage run that saw them only win one game, while suffering three defeats and picking two draws in the process.
However, Porto will also be looking to complement their impressive Primeira Liga campaign, where they look to be on the right track to regain the title as they lead the league with six points in the clear. The Dragons will fancy their chances of advancing to the next stage of the competition as they are boast a really impressive form recently having lost none of their last 12 matches across all competitions, claiming 11 consecutive victories and a draw in the run.
Also the Dragons are in a good home form and they have not lost to Lazio in their last three meetings claiming two wins and a draw, and the last time the two met Porto claimed a 2-1 win at home.
Meanwhile Lazio began their Europa League campaign in the group stages of the competition, where they made an impressive run claiming two wins, three draws and one defeat from their six Group E matches to collect nine points, which saw them finish in second three points behind Galatasaray and two above Marseille in the third.
Now in the knockout playoffs Lazio will be looking to further advance in the competition and will be confident of giving their opponents a tough challenge as they are also in a good form having only lost one of their last six matches across all competitions and they have done well in the Serie A to sit six in the league standings with just four points off the top-four.
They are coming off a confidence bosting 3-0 win against Bologna in their previous Serie A fixture, which saw them bounce back from the 4-0 humbling by Milan in the quarter-finals of the Coppa Italia and thus will want to make it back-to-back wins as they prepare for a top-four battle.
Porto vs Lazio head to head
Both sides have met in three occasions since 2003 with Porto claiming two victories and a draw.
- Porto 2-1 Lazio 10/08/08
- Lazio 0-0 Porto 24/04/03
- Porto 4-1 Lazio 11/03/03
Home
- Porto 2-2 Sporting Lisbon
- Arouca 0-2 Porto
- Porto 2-1 Maritimo
- Porto 3-1 Famalicao
- Belenenses 1-4 Porto
Away
- Lazio 3-0 Bologna
- Milan 4-0 Lazio
- Fiorentina 0-3 Lazio
- Lazio 0-0 Atalanta
- Lazio 1-0 Udinese
Porto team news
Wilson Manafa is the only absentee for Porto through an injury.
Lazio team news
Lazio will be without Francesco Acerbi due to injury.
Prediction and odds
- Draw
- Both sides to score
- Goals over 2.4
