Porto aim to at least maintain their seven-point lead at the top of the Primeira Liga standings as they round off matchday 19 with a clash against Gil Vicente at the Estadio do Dragao on Monday evening.
The Dragons could see their cushion at the summit reduced even before kickoff, with second-placed Sporting Lisbon travelling to Arouca two days earlier, while fourth-placed Gil Vicente may also slip to fifth before a ball is kicked, as Braga host Alverca on Sunday.
Match preview
For a fourth consecutive gameweek, Porto will be tasked with responding after Sporting have already taken to the field earlier in the round, and Francesco Farioli’s men have risen to the occasion on each of the previous three instances.
Despite facing a tricky test at Vitoria de Guimaraes on Monday, the league leaders still ground out a 1-0 victory, a result that rendered Sporting’s home win over Casa Pia little more than a consolation, with the gap between the top two remaining unchanged.
That commanding seven-point lead has been built on an almost flawless league campaign, with Porto winning 17 of their 18 Primeira Liga matches this season, the lone blemish being a goalless draw against Jose Mourinho’s Benfica on matchday eight.
Such dominance comes as little surprise given the Dragons’s excellence at both ends of the pitch, having scored 37 league goals – the second-highest tally in the division – while no side has conceded fewer than their four, complemented by a league-high 14 clean sheets.
However, that authority counted for little on the continental stage in midweek, as Porto were forced to settle for a share of the spoils in a 1-1 draw away at Viktoria Plzen, a result that ended a nine-game winning streak across all competitions, halted a run of five successive shutouts and dropped them out of the Europa League league-phase top eight.
Gil Vicente arrive this encounter hoping to join the short list of sides to take something from Porto this season, buoyed by a six-match unbeaten run (W1, D5), with that resilience finally rewarded last time out.
Cesar Peixoto’s men claimed a 2-1 home victory over Nacional in Barcelos, where Santiago Gonzalez Garcia’s strike shortly after the hour mark proved decisive, sealing the Roosters’s eighth league win of the campaign.
Having already matched their total number of victories from last season, Gil are enjoying a strong campaign and currently occupy fourth place, though they sit just one point above fifth-placed Braga, meaning any return from Monday’s game would significantly boost their top-four ambitions.
The Roosters will draw encouragement from recent meetings with Porto, having taken points from three of the last six encounters (W2, D1), including a famous victory at the Dragao in 2023, although the reverse fixture earlier this season ended in a 2-0 defeat.
Gil have also shown resilience on their travels, suffering just one league loss in nine away matches this term (W3, D5), while remaining unbeaten in their last five on the road (W1, D4), and they will hope that record counts for something on Monday.
Porto Primeira Liga form:
W
W
W
W
W
W
Porto form (all competitions):
D
W
W
W
W
W
Gil Vicente Primeira Liga form:
W
D
D
D
D
D
Team News
© Imago / ZUMA Press Wire
Porto midfielder Victor Froholdt picked up a knock to his right foot in midweek and will require a late fitness test to determine his availability for Monday’s encounter.
Should Froholdt be ruled out, he would join Luuk de Jong (knee) and Nehuen Perez (Achilles tendon) in the treatment room.
Veteran defender Thiago Silva is back in contention after sitting out Thursday’s European fixture due to ineligibility.
Meanwhile, Samu Omorodion will be looking to atone after missing penalties in back-to-back matches and will look to add to his 12 league goals on Monday.
For Gil Vicente, Facundo Caseres is expected to miss a second successive game through injury, while Agustin Moreira remains unavailable for a seventh straight outing after sustaining a problem against Tondela on November 29.
Meanwhile, new signing Lucao, who recently arrived from Bragantino, could be handed his debut between the posts, potentially relegating Dani Figueira to the bench.
Porto possible starting lineup:
D Costa; A Costa, T Silva, Kiwior, Fernandes; R Mora, Varela, Veiga; Pepe, Samu, Sainz
Gil Vicente possible starting lineup:
Figueira; Ze Carlos, Buantu, Elimbi, Konan; Z Carlos, S Garcia; Murilo, Esteves, T Toure; Varela
We say: Porto 2-0 Gil Vicente
Despite Gil Vicente’s recent resilience, defensive lapses remain a concern, having conceded in each of their last five matches.
While they have also found the net in that period, breaching Porto’s disciplined backline appears a far tougher task, so a home victory looks the most likely outcome.
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