Primeira Liga leaders Porto look to return to winning ways as they travel to Madeira to face Nacional on Sunday in matchday 22 action.
The Dragons enter this encounter without victory in back-to-back top-flight outings following last weekend’s draw in O Classico, while the hosts are also winless in consecutive matches after sharing the spoils with Casa Pia.
For much of the Primeira Liga campaign, Porto have looked formidable, but the Dragons have hit a slight wobble in recent weeks, failing to record a win in consecutive games for the first time this season.
Following their first league defeat of the term at Casa Pia, Francesco Farioli’s side had to settle for a 1–1 draw against second-placed Sporting last weekend, as Luis Suarez’s stoppage-time strike cancelled out Seko Fofana’s 76th-minute opener in a tightly contested affair.
That result leaves the Blue and Whites still four points clear at the Primeira Liga summit, having won 18 of their opening 21 fixtures (D2, L1), with their impressive return built on a watertight defence that has conceded a league-low seven goals, while 42 scored at the other end underline their balance.
Porto have also excelled on their travels, winning 10 of 11 league away matches (L1) — the best road record in the division — and they will draw further confidence from a dominant head-to-head record in this fixture.
The Dragons have won 11 of their last 13 Primeira Liga meetings with Nacional, including a 1–0 success in the reverse clash, though their most recent visit to Madeira did end in a 2–0 defeat, offering a note of caution.
© Imago
Nacional, meanwhile, are chasing consecutive home victories in this fixture for the first time, but their broader form remains a concern, having won just two of their last 13 league matches (D5, L6).
Despite enjoying the lion’s share of possession and registering twice as many shots on target as Casa Pia last weekend, the White and Blacks failed to score for the first time in seven games, leaving them with 27 goals and 30 conceded in the Primeira Liga campaign.
That stalemate kept Tiago Margarido’s men 13th in the standings on 21 points from five wins, six draws and 10 defeats, just four points above the relegation playoff place, so any return here would be valuable in creating breathing space.
There is, however, reason for optimism at home, where Nacional are unbeaten in their last four league matches (W2, D2), a marked improvement on an earlier stretch that saw them lose five of six on their own turf.
Nacional Primeira Liga form:
Porto Primeira Liga form:
Porto form (all competitions):
© Imago / Sportimage
Nacional’s clash with Casa Pia came at a cost, with left-back Jose Gomes forced off through injury and now a doubt for Sunday, while Leo Santos is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the season.
Cape Verde international Ivanildo Fernandes and Brazilian defender Ulisses remain long-term absentees, Filipe Soares is still sidelined, and both Lenny Vallier and Joao Aurelio could miss a fourth straight match.
Porto will be without Francisco Moura due to suspension, while striker Samu Omorodion is ruled out, having picked up a knee injury last time out.
As such, Deniz Gul is expected to deputise in attack as Luuk de Jong remains sidelined for the remainder of the campaign.
Defensive concerns also linger, with Jakub Kiwior and Martim Fernandes both fitness doubts, having been forced off last time out, while long-term absentee Nehuen Perez continues his recovery from an Achilles problem.
Nacional possible starting lineup:
Pereira; Nunez, Goncalves, Ze Vitor, Gomes; Liziero, Dias; Baeza; Veron, Ramirez, Boia
Porto possible starting lineup:
D. Costa; A. Costa, Silva, Bednarek, Fernandes; Froholdt, Varela, Veiga; Pepe, Gul, Sainz
A victory here could temporarily extend Porto’s lead at the top, and the Dragons have shown a knack for grinding out controlled away wins.
The visitors have kept a clean sheet in each of their last five away victories, three of which were decided by a single goal, and another narrow success could well be on the cards.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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