Antwerp vs FC Porto Prediction and Match Preview
Bosuilstadion is set to be the venue for Wednesday’s football match between Antwerp and Porto, two teams that experienced defeats in their second group games against Shakhtar Donetsk and Barcelona.
Antwerp has struggled to demonstrate competitiveness at this level, and their vulnerable defense makes a home victory unlikely.
To compound their challenges, talented midfielder Mandela Keita sustained an injury and had to be substituted in a 3-2 loss to Charleroi over the weekend.
In contrast, the Dragons have a favorable opportunity to bounce back and secure a win in Group H. Porto appears to be the stronger team when compared to Antwerp, and we anticipate that the visitors will demonstrate their quality on the field.
However, it’s worth noting that Pepe, Zaidu Sanusi, Ivan Marcano, and Gabriel Veron are expected to miss the match due to injuries for the visiting team.
On a positive note, Iran striker Mehdi Taremi is set to return to the starting lineup after being rested in the Taca de Portugal victory over Vilar de Perdizes.
Team News:
Van Bommel faces several injury concerns ahead of Wednesday’s fixture, as Ritchie De Laet, Jacob Ondrejka, Sam Vines, Kobe Corbanie, Davino Verhulst, and Bjorn Engels are all expected to be absent.
Midfielder Mandela Keita joined the list of absentees over the weekend, having been forced off in the first half of the defeat to Charleroi. Keita’s absence presents Van Bommel with a significant challenge due to limited midfield options, but the Antwerp manager may choose to grant Alhassan Yusuf his inaugural start in the Champions League.
On the other side, Conceicao will have to manage without key defensive players, as Pepe (muscle), Zaidu Sanusi (muscle), Ivan Marcano (knee), and Wendell (Achilles) are all unavailable. Additionally, Brazilian attacker Gabriel Veron remains sidelined for the trip to Belgium, and Stephen Eustaquio and Ivan Jaime are unlikely to feature after missing the 2-0 victory over Vilar de Perdizes.
Conceicao had made several alterations for the cup win on Friday, but players like Diogo Costa, Alan Varela, Evanilson, and Taremi are expected to return to the starting lineup for the journey to Belgium.
