FC Porto vs. Leicester City Preview
Where: Estádio do Dragão – Porto, Portugal
When: Wednesday, December 7, 2:45 PM ET
Line: FC Porto -420 vs. Leicester City +900, tie +390; total: 2.5 – view all Champions League lines
TV Broadcast: ESPN3
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Betting on FC Porto (-420)
What in the world is happening to Porto? The Portuguese giants have won just two of their last eight games in all competitions, falling four points behind arch-rivals Benfica in the Primeira Liga and getting knocked out by lowly Chaves in the fourth round of the Portuguese Cup. All is not lost, though, for Porto who are still alive and kicking in this year’s Champions League. They need a win against Leicester City to guarantee their last-16 place, although they would still qualify if FC Copenhagen fail to beat Club Brugge in the other group match.
The Dragons will fancy their chances of doing just that as they have fared extremely well at home in Europe of late. Porto have lost only one of their last 11 home games in the Champions League (seven wins, three draws). Also quite encouraging for Porto is the fact that English clubs have a poor away record against them in this competition. English teams have traveled to Porto 11 times in the Champions League, winning only twice (Manchester United in April 2009, Chelsea in November 2009), drawing four times and losing on a further five occasions.
For the Dragons to record the much-needed win, they will need to sort out their problematic offense. They have scored just four goals in the Champions League this season. Porto’s games, for that matter, have produced the joint-fewest goals in this season’s Champions League (7). The onus then is on Andre Silva to carry the scoring cudgels for Porto. He leads the team in scoring in Europe this season with two goals.
Betting on Leicester City (+900)
Leicester City’s title-retention bid in the Premier League may already be in ruins but that is not the case with their maiden Champions League campaign. The Foxes are already through to the last 16 of Europe’s premier club competition and guaranteed to finish as Group G winners. They are the first team since Malaga in the 2012-13 season to finish top of the group on their Champions League debut.
Key to their strong European campaign has been their excellent form on the defensive end. They boast the joint-best defensive record in this season’s Champions League alongside Atletico Madrid, having surrendered just one goal in five games. That defense will be put to the test, though, this coming Wednesday with manager Claudio Ranieri opting to rest some of his key players. Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and Andy King are rested for this Group G clash, while Robert Huth and Islam Slimani – both a yellow card away from a ban – have not travelled to Portugal either. Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel is also out with a hand injury.
The good news for Ranieri is that defensive midfielder Nampalys Mendy is set to make his much-anticipated return against Porto. The 24-year-old has not played since injuring his ankle in only his second Leicester game back in August. He could be partnered in midfield by Danny Drinkwater who is currently serving a three-match domestic ban but is available to play in the Champions League.
Writer’s Prediction
FC Porto (-420) barge into the round of 16 with a comfortable 2-0 win.
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