Porto will endeavour to boost their hopes of reaching the Europa League knockout rounds when thy welcome FC Midtjylland to the Estadio do Dragao on Thursday evening.
While the Dragons have put together a three-game unbeaten run in all competitions, the Wolves have alternated between defeat and victory in their last four fixtures.
Match preview
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Porto were installed as favourites to win this season's Europa League by Opta's supercomputer, but they have picked up just five points from their opening five matches and are at risk of failing to qualify for the knockout rounds.
The Portuguese giants have dropped a total of seven points from winning positions, the most of any team in this season's competition. They have been leading in four of their five games but have only won once of those - a 2-0 home win over Hoffenheim.
Porto suffered a 3-2 defeat at Bodo/Glimdt on matchday one, and conceded late goals to drop points in games against Manchester United (3-3 draw) and Lazio (2-1 loss), before being pegged back twice to draw 2-2 with Anderlecht a fortnight ago, leaving them languishing in 23rd place in the 36-team table, just inside the last-16 playoff spots thanks to goal difference and five points behind the top eight.
Vitor Bruno's men failed to win any of their last four games in all competitions in November, but they have since collected four points across two Primeira Liga fixtures this month, with a much-needed 2-0 home win over Casa Pia followed by a frustrating 1-1 draw with Famalicao last weekend. Samu Omorodion's equalised has helped Porto move to within two points of leaders Sporting Lisbon.
The Dragons, who can ill-afford to suffer another Europa League setback against Midtjylland, head into Thursday's contest having lost just one of their last 10 meetings with Danish opposition, winning four of their five such encounters on home soil.
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Competing in the Europa League for just the fourth time since the competition's rebrand in 2009-10, Midtjylland made a bright start in the League Phase, accumulating seven points in their opening three fixtures.
Indeed, a 1-1 draw with Hoffenheim was followed by consecutive wins without replay against Maccabi Tel-Aviv (2-0) and Union SG (1-0), but they have since lost back-to-back matches against FSCB (2-0) and Eintracht Frankfurt (2-1), losing at home to the latter on matchday five a fortnight ago.
Those defeats have halted Midtjylland's progress and they have subsequently slipped to 20th in the 36-team table, two points above Thursday's opponents Porto in 23rd and three points behind the top eight with three matches remaining.
The Wolves returned to winning ways on the domestic front last weekend, as they secured a 3-0 away victory over Vejle, their 10th Danish SuperLiga win of the season that has helped them to move level on points with Copenhagen at the top of the standings.
Thomas Thomasberg's side will now shift their focus back to the Europa League and they travel to the Estadio do Dragao seeking to avoid losing three consecutive games in the competition for the first time since 2015, while they have won just one of their last 10 meetings with Portuguese opposition (D2 L7).
Team News
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Porto are still having to cope without Wendell (muscle), Marko Grujic (heel) and Ivan Marcano (knee) as they continue to recover from injury.
Joao Mario is a major doubt as he missed the draw with Famalicao last weekend after contracting tendonitis in his right hamstring, so 18-year-old Martim Fernandes could continue at right-back.
Omorodion is Porto's top scorer this season with 14 goals, including four strikes in five Europa League appearances, and he is set to be supported in attack by Galeno who has 12 goals to his name this term.
As for Midtjylland, Gue-sung Cho is targeting a return from a knee injury at the end of this month, while Paulinho (illness), Edward Chilufya, Dario Osorio, Franculino and Aral Simsir (all unspecified) are doubts and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Mikel Gogorza, Victor Lind and Juninho were all on the scoresheet against Vejle last time out, and while the former will be looking to retain his starting spot on the left flank, the latter two will be hoping to force their way back into the first XI.
Porto possible starting lineup:
Costa; Fernandes, Perez, Otavio, Moura; Gonzalez, Eustaquio; Pepe, Vieira, Galeno; Omorodion
FC Midtjylland possible starting lineup:
Olafsson; Mbabu, Diao, Bech Sorensen, Bak Jensen; Andersson, Martinez; Andreasen, O. Sorensen, Gogorza; Buksa
We say: Porto 2-1 FC Midtjylland
Both teams will fancy their chances of success on Thursday and will be aware of how important it is to secure maximum points in their quest to reach the last 16. We are backing both Porto and Midtjylland to make the net ripple in this contest, but the hosts may just do enough to come out on top.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
