Schalke 04 VS Porto Match Prediction
2018-09-18
19:00:00
Schalke 04
VS
Porto
Our Prediction Tip
Porto will win this match.
2018-09-1819:00:00 Porto will win this match.
It took a penalty shoot-out to separate Porto and Schalke when they last met in Europe ten years ago, with both sides winning their home leg 1-0. The German team won the shoot-out 4-1 to reach the quarter-finals. They had previously faced each other in the first round of the 1976-77 UEFA Cup, with Schalke winning 3-2 at home to progress 5-4 on aggregate.
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Schalke 04 are in poor form so far this season, losing all three league games they have played, and that does not bode well for their return to the Champions League.
Porto, on the other hand, looking to bounce back from last year’s last-16 exit to Liverpool, are in good shape and, while they drew with Chaves last time out, they did take the opportunity to rest players.
Vincent Aboubakar and Yacine Brahimi have been in the goals for the Portuguese side, while Schalke’s front men are yet to fire – it says a lot that Nabil Bentaleb is top scorer so far.
Schalke’s defensive woes will be a concern so far too, as well as their lack of attacking punch. Porto can take advantage and get off to a winning start in this year’s Champions League campaign.
Schalke’s poor form makes it difficult to back them, but their home advantage does make them favourites with the bookmakers, just – Paddy Power have them at 8/5 win, while Porto are 9/5.
Porto are in better form, however, and a Porto win and BTTS is 9/2 with Bet365, Ladbrokes, Betfair and Paddy Power.
Both teams to score, on its own, is a best price of 5/6 with 10Bet while you can get 11/10 from Betfair, Paddy Power and 888sport on there being over 2.5 goals.
As for those goals, Vincent Aboubakar has been in good form this season and is 21/10 with Betway to score at any time for the visitors.
Schalke’s home advantage will count for nothing if they can not end their poor start to the season – a start which has seen them lose all three league games so far.
Weston McKennie is set to return from a minor knee injury after missing the weekend’s defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach. Benjamon Stambouli and Bastian Oczipka remain sidelined, however. Matija Nastasic returned from suspension last time out, and will take his place in the defence while Hamza Mendyl and Abdul Rahman Baba are competing to start at left-back – Mendyl returned to the starting line-up last time out but limped off after just 25 minutes.
Nabil Bentaleb – Has scored twice this season from central midfield, as well as looking to control the temp in the middle.
Mark Uth – Yet to get off the mark up front but does have one assist to his name.
Guido Burgstaller – Scored 13 goals in 37 games for Schalke last season to take him to 25 in two seasons since his switch from Nurnberg.
A 2-0 win away to Schweinfurt in the DFB Pokal is Schalke 04’s only win so far this season, as it is has been followed by three league defeats. They lost 2-1 to Wolfsburg despite Nabil Bentaleb’s late penalty equaliser, having earlier had Matija Nastasic sent off, and then lost 2-0 to Hertha. Last time out, they were beat 2-1 by Borussia Monchengladbach with Breel Embolo’s late strike too late to inspire a comeback.
Danilo Pereira is fit again for Porto, but Chancel Mbemba and Tiquinho Soares remain long-term absentees. Porto rested players for the Taca de Liga match draw with Chaves, including Vincent Aboubakar and Iker Casillas, who should both return to the team in Gelsenkirchen.
Vincent Aboubakar – The striker has scored three goals in five games so far this season and is set to return to the starting line-up.
Yacine Brahimi – Joint-top scorer with Aboubakar with three, though the left winger is yet to record an assist this season.
Otavio – One goal and four assists from attacking midfield have proved his creative worth to the team going forward.
Porto have lost just one of their six matches so far this season – a 3-2 league defeat at home to Vitoria Guimaraes at the end of August. They bounced back by beating Moreirenese 3-0 after goals from Hector Herrera, Vincent Aboubakar and Moussa Marega, however, and drew with Chaves in the Taca de Liga last time out after Hernani’s goal.
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