Club Brugge KV – FC Porto : Preview & Prediction
After three decades of frustration, the tenth was “the lucky one” for Club Brugge on Matchday 4 of the UEFA Champions League (UCL), as a 0-0 draw against Atletico Madrid finally sealed their passage to the Round of 16. Moreover, Brugge now need just a point from this match against second-placed Porto to secure top spot in Group B and home advantage against a group runner-up in the second leg of the Round of 16.
Despite falling behind in the title race in Belgium after dropping points in two of their last four top-flight matches (G2, E1, P1), it is worth noting that Brugge defeated Porto 4-0 earlier in the campaign. Blauw-Zwart should be more than capable of getting the result they need here, and many will expect another clean sheet, with the Belgian club the only team left in the competition yet to concede a goal.
However, Porto have improved since that drubbing, with two wins over Bayer Leverkusen (5-0 on aggregate) to revive their hopes of advancing to the next round. A victory in the rematch against Brugge would put the Dragons one point behind the group leaders, and would also secure their place in the Round of 16, provided Atlético de Madrid fails to beat Leverkusen at home in the other match of the day in this group.
The reigning Portuguese champions already know how important European success can be, with a 1-0 derby loss to Benfica last Friday leaving them six points off the top of the Portuguese Primeira Liga. But unfortunately for Porto, any relief from their domestic woes probably won’t come in Europe, as they have looked like a timid team in front of goal — they have scored three of their four away goals in the UCL via penalties taken in the second half.
Players to watch: Averaging 5.5 saves per game in UCL Group B so far, Brugge goalkeeper Simon Mignolet is clearly determined to make his team the first club to advance past the group stage of the prestigious tournament without conceding a goal. A worthy opponent for the 2019 UCL gold medalist is Porto’s Galeno, who scored in both wins against Leverkusen.
Standout Fact: Only one of Porto’s last 15 matches against Belgian teams had goals from both teams before halftime.
Club Brugge KV – FC Porto : Betting Tips
FC Porto – Win Odds: 3.25
