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Porto will welcome Santa Clara to the Estadio do Dragao on Saturday for a matchday 25 fixture in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.
The hosts picked up a 2-1 victory away to Portimonense before the international break. Two own goals in each half helped the defending champions pick up all three points.
Santa Clara played out a 1-1 draw at home to Tondela. A last-minute own goal by Yohan Tavares helped the home side snatch a point after they had been reduced to nine men.
The results did not have any impact on their respective standings in the league table. Porto remain in second spot, 10 points behind runway leaders Sporting Lisbon. Santa Clara remained in seventh, having garnered 32 points from 24 games to date.
Porto vs Santa Clara Head-to-Head
There have been 13 previous matches between the pair. Porto have a much better record with 12 wins, while Santa Clara were victorious on one occasion. There is yet to be a draw between the sides.
Their most recent meeting was on 28 November 2020 when a goal on the stroke of halftime from Luis Diaz gave visiting Porto a 1-0 victory.
Porto are currently on an 18-game unbeaten run in the league, with 13 games won in that period. Santa Clara have won two of their last five league games.
Porto form guide (all competitions): W-W-L-W-L
Santa Clara form guide: D-W-L-W-L
Porto vs Santa Clara Team News
Porto
The hosts have two players sidelined with fitness issues. Midfielder Mouhamed Mbaye is a long-term absentee with an ACL problem but is expected back in the coming weeks.
Defender Pepe suffered a calf problem early in the game against Portimonense which ruled him out of the international fixtures.
There are no suspension concerns for manager Sergio Conceicao.
Injuries: Pepe, Mouhamed Mbaye
Suspension: None
Santa Clara
The visitors have J. Rodrigues Romao ruled out with an ACL injury. Fabio Cardoso and Allano Lima will serve out suspensions for the red cards they received against Tondela.
Injury: J.Rodrigues Romao
Suspension: Fabio Cardoso, Allano Lima
Porto vs Santa Clara Predicted XI
Porto Predicted XI (4-3-3): Augustin Marchesin (GK); Zaidu Sanusi, Diogo Leite, Chancel Mbemba, Wilson Manafa; Mateus Uribe, Fabio Vieira, Otavio; Luiz Diaz, Moussa Marega, Jesus Corona
Santa Clara Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Marco Rocha (GK); Mansur, Mikel Villanueva, Joao Afonso, Rafael Ramos, Anderson Carvalho, Hidemesa Morita; Carlos Junior, Costinha, Lincoln Henrique, Rui Costa
Porto vs Santa Clara Prediction
Porto very rarely slip up at home to lower-placed opposition. While Santa Clara have been in relatively good form, the hosts simply have too much firepower.
We are predicting a convincing victory for the defending champions.
Prediction: Porto 3-0 Santa Clara
