Prediction: FC Porto vs Olympiacos

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 3/1

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

FC Porto, currently without a permanent manager, face Olympiacos in a pivotal Europa League clash at the Estadio do Dragao on Thursday. Both sides are battling to secure progression to the knockout stages, with just one point separating them in the league phase standings.

The Portuguese hosts hold 18th place and will aim to capitalize on home advantage to leapfrog their Greek visitors, who sit in 15th. With the competition tightening as the group stage nears its conclusion, this match promises to be a high-stakes encounter.

FC Porto

Porto’s form has taken a dip after an impressive run, where they secured four consecutive wins by an aggregate of 11-0, including a 2-0 triumph over Midtjylland in the Europa League. However, their momentum faltered with three successive domestic defeats, including a Taca da Liga semi-final loss to Sporting Lisbon and league defeats to Nacional (2-0) and Gil Vicente (3-1).

The recent downturn cost Vitor Bruno his job as head coach on Monday, just six months into his tenure. Despite guiding the team to third in the Primeira Liga, four points off the top, his record of 11 wins in 29 matches proved insufficient. Academy director Jose Tavares steps in as interim boss, with Thursday’s Europa League clash marking his debut.

Porto sit two points shy of the top eight in the standings and have a mixed record of two wins, two draws, and two losses in this Europa League campaign. However, their strong home form – five wins and a draw in their last six European outings at the Estadio do Dragao – offers hope for a turnaround as they aim for a spot in the last 16.

Team News

For this game, Marko Grujic and Wendell remain sidelined due to muscle injuries, while Ivan Marcano, recovering from an ACL injury, will be evaluated after recently returning to training.

Despite his red card in the domestic defeat to Gil Vicente, Nico Gonzalez is eligible and will compete with Alan Varela and Stephen Eustaquio for a starting role in midfield.

Up front, Samuel Omorodion is set to retain his place despite being sent off in the same match. The 20-year-old has been a standout in Europe this season, scoring five Europa League goals. He now aims to join Moussa Marega (2018-19) as the last Porto player to surpass five goals in a major European campaign.

Olympiacos

Olympiacos are in fine form, currently on an impressive 16-game unbeaten streak across all competitions (10 wins, 6 draws), and they’ve secured victory in their last four Greek Super League matches.

The Thrylos showcased their resilience with a hard-fought 2-1 win last weekend, thanks to goals from Panagiotis Retsos and Ayoub El Kaabi. This result solidified their position at the top of the league table, where they hold a four-point lead with seven games remaining in the regular season.

Jose Luis Mendilibar led Olympiacos to the 2023/24 Conference League title within three months of taking charge and has since guided the Greek side to a steady Europa League campaign. They have collected nine points from six matches (W2, D3, L1), including a run of three consecutive draws against Rangers, FCSB, and FC Twente.

Their last two outings ended in goalless draws, a rare feat in the competition’s history. Only Saint-Etienne managed a similar sequence in 2014/15.

Victory against Porto on Thursday could see Olympiacos climb into the automatic last-16 spots. However, they face a tough challenge, having won just once in their last nine away games against Portuguese teams and failing to win in their last four visits to Porto (D1, L3).

Team News

Olympiacos will be without midfielder Yusuf Yazici for the rest of the season due to a cruciate ligament injury, while Santiago Hezze is suspended after accumulating three yellow cards in the League Phase.

Teenager Christos Mouzakitis is expected to step in for Hezze, partnering one of Dani Garcia, Chiquinho, Marko Stamenic, or former Porto player Sergio Oliveira in midfield.

Up front, Ayoub El Kaabi, who has scored a team-high 17 goals this season, 12 more than any other Olympiacos player, will once again spearhead the attack. The Moroccan striker has also found the net four times in six Europa League appearances.

Conclusion

Porto’s Europa League campaign has seen plenty of action, with 12 goals scored and 10 conceded in six matches. In contrast, Olympiacos matches have been far less eventful, featuring only eight goals (five scored, three conceded). This stark difference makes predicting the outcome of their clash challenging.

A tightly contested affair seems likely, as both teams will be eager to avoid defeat in their penultimate group stage match. Even though most bookmakers favour a home win, a draw could be the most plausible outcome at the Estadio do Dragao.

Verdict: Draw

Best odds: 3/1

Bookmaker: Olympusbet