Monday's traditionally limited schedule features Porto's postponed first match of the season, as the Dragons host Vitoria Guimaraes at Estadio do Dragao. A strong start is the only option for Porto after a few emotional weeks during the summer break.
The Dragons had their fixture postponed due to the passing of club legend and director of football Jorge Costa five days ago. This was the last of several tragedies that struck the club in recent months, as well as major changes in the team. Porto also have a new manager, Francesco Farioli, who has a serious task in front of him – to make Porto competitive in the title race again.
The Dragons saw some action mid-summer, as the team participated in the Club World Cup, but ultimately failed to win either of their games. On the other end, Vitoria Guimaraes had one of the busiest summers in terms of friendly matches. The Conquerors played nine friendlies in July and early August, so they should be well prepared for the real action.
How the bookies view it: Expected home advantage
Bookmakers gave Porto a massive betting advantage, but still left some value in the odds. Right now, you can pick the Dragons at 11/20, while Vitoria are available at 19/4. Some would say the draw is quite possible given the circumstances, so you can also opt for that at 3/1.
Recent head to head: All about the Dragons
A first-round trip to Estadio do Dragao is hardly a reason for happiness, especially for Vitoria's fanbase. The Conquerors stole a point in the same fixture last season, but other than this draw and one win in 2024, Vitoria lost the other eight most recent H2Hs. In fact, Vitoria Guimaraes have only two wins against Porto in the last 20 meetings.
Players to watch: Is Samu the next star?
Many people and fans expected Samu to receive big offers this summer and potentially leave Porto. But the 21-year-old will be back on the edge of the attack and by the looks of it, he is hungry for goals. He scored 19 goals in 30 appearances last season and remained busy during the summer games too, scoring in three consecutive matches. He was the team's top scorer in the Club World Cup too.
Probable line-ups
Porto: Costa, Fernandes, Perez, Bednarek, Costa, Veiga, Varela, Froholdt, Sainz, Pepe, Samu
Vitoria Guimaraes: Charles, Nobrega, Abascal, Borevkovic, Felix, Mendes, Silva, Handel, Santos, Camara, Oliveira
Anything else catch the eye?
There are multiple points of view when analyzing this match. On the one hand, Porto never had a full pre-season due to their participation in the CWC. They had time for only two friendlies the last couple of weeks. And then came Jorge Costa's passing and we can imagine the mood in the camp.
On the other hand, this is the perfect opportunity to remember Costa through a strong performance from the very beginning of the season. And Vitoria have had serious struggles in this fixture in recent years. We expect Porto to clutch the three points but it will be closer than bookies expect. If we had to predict the final score, we'd bet on 2-1.
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