Porto vs Juventus
UEFA Champions League – Round of 16, First Leg
Date: Wednesday, 22nd February 2017
Kick-Off at 19:45 UK / 20:45 CET
Venue: Estadio do Dragao (Porto).
Juventus will travel to FC Porto on Wednesday for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round-of-16 tie, as the Serie A giants look to continue their fine run.
The Italians have won seven straight matches in all competitions, while Porto have won their last six and are expected to be a real challenge to the Old Lady's European ambitions.
Team News
Porto's upturn in form has coincided with the end of their injury wave. Entering Wednesday's clash, manager Nuno Espirito Santo has a full squad to work with.
Juventus defenders Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini both missed the 4-1 win over Palermo and remain doubts for Wednesday, per Calciomercato.com. Miralem Pjanic should be back to full health, however.
Possible Porto XI: Iker Casillas, Alex Telles, Marcano, Felipe, Maxi Pereira, Oliver Torres, Danilo Pereira, Hector Herrera, Jesus Corona, Andre Silva, Soares
Possible Juventus XI: Gianluigi Buffon, Alex Sandro, Leonardo Bonucci, Medhi Benatia, Dani Alves, Sami Khedira, Miralem Pjanic, Mario Mandzukic, Paulo Dybala, Juan Cuadrado, Gonzalo Higuain
Preview
Porto and Juventus will enter Wednesday's match with the top defences in the Portuguese and Italian leagues, respectively, and given their form, the first leg should be a tight affair.
Juventus' defensive injuries are an issue―Benatia is likely to partner Leonardo Bonucci in the heart of the back line, although Daniele Rugani could also be an option.
The absence of Barzagli and Chiellini all but assures Juventus come out in the 4-2-3-1 formation that has worked so well of late, with Paulo Dybala pulling the strings in midfield and Mario Mandzukic working from the wing.
Things won't be easy in Portugal, however. Porto are as tactically versatile as Juventus, and it's anyone's guess which―fluid―formation they'll use on Wednesday. In Andre Silva, they have a stud striker of their own, although he has cooled off a bit after a scorching start to the season.
Set pieces could prove the difference―the Bianconeri have struggled defending corners this season, an issue that will only be enhanced if Chiellini misses out. Likewise, Iker Casillas isn't always reliable on corner kicks, and the Bianconeri have several dead-ball specialists.
Juventus' attack was splendid at the weekend, but expect both teams to be cautious during the first leg of this tie. With two class defences, a scoreless draw seems very likely.
Porto vs Juventus: Form Guide
Porto are unbeaten in their league since the 2-1 away defeat to Sporting on August 2016. This is a streak of 19 matches which includes 14 wins and 5 draws. They are coming to this Champions League fixture on the back of 6 straight wins. Meanwhile, they are yet to taste defeat in a home match this season.
Juventus lost 2-1 to Fiorentina in the Serie A clash on 15th January. Since then, the Old Lady picked up 7 straight wins. Juventus are unbeaten at home in all competitions this season, 16 wins and 2 draws. Their record away from home so far is 11 wins and 4 losses from 15 games.
Porto vs Juventus: Head-to-head stats
Porto failed to beat Juventus in each of their three previous meetings in a UEFA competitions.
In 1984 European Cup Winners Cup final in Basel, Juve beat Porto by a 2-1 margin. And in the most recent meeting during the 2001/02 first group stage of Champions League, they drew 0-0 at home before winning 3-1 at home.
Porto are unbeaten in the last 7 home meetings with Italian clubs, 3 wins and 4 draws. The overall home record is 4 wins, 6 draws and 3 losses from 13 matches.
The Old Lady have managed to win just once in their 5 previous visits to Portugal. They drew 1 and lost 3. Their overall record against teams from Portugal is 5 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses. All the four defeats were inflicted by Benfica.
Porto vs Juventus: Prediction
Both teams are coming on the back of some serious form and this is expected to be a close contest. Porto will look to make the home advantage count and we believe they have a real chance.
Juventus doesn’t look convincing at times in away games this season. The 2-1 loss at Fiorentina on mid-January is a typical example of this. The Dragons have a formidable record at this stadium and they could get at least a draw from this fixture.
Porto vs Juventus: Bet Tips
Double Chance – Porto or Draw at 1.70.
