Remembering what happened last year, Porto needs to start off with its foot on the gas pedal to minimize the possibility of running into any damaging setbacks. However, Farioli’s side will face Vitoria Guimaraes in their Primera Liga debut, a tough team that is always difficult to play against and is coming off a very interesting preseason.
The signs shown in the (few) weeks of preparation for the new season are encouraging for the former Ajax coach, who can count on a core group of players that has been cemented over the years. The victories against Twente and Atletico Madrid have set the tone, although the league is likely to be a different story. With few spaces to attack given the likely approach of the visitors, who will try to keep their center of gravity low, drying up the Dragoes’ passing lanes to hit them with quick vertical passes, Porto will have to be very good at moving the ball around without forcing plays.
Porto-Guimaraes prediction: the hosts should get off to a good start
Easy to say, much more complicated to achieve, not least because Correia Pinto’s men know how to interpret the various moments of the game and, as mentioned, they come into the game on the back of a preseason in which they collected six wins and two draws.
The 4-2-3-1 formation with which the visitors will line up at the Do Dragao is only seemingly unorthodox; in reality, it is a mix of youth, daring, and experience and should quickly adapt to the diktat imposed by Porto. However, the technical ability of the two squads inevitably favors Farioli’s boys, who want to mark their official debut with a victory. Nevertheless, Omorodion and his teammates are not expecting an easy task that can be dismissed en passant.
In summary: our prediction sees Porto as favorites and ready to take all three points in a game in which one to four goals should be scored. We do not expect Guimaraes to be overwhelmed, precisely because Oliveira and his teammates will try to stand up to their opponents with the weapons at their disposal.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
PORTO (3-4-3): Claudio Ramos; Fernandes, Pedro, Prpic; Pepê, Varela, Veiga, Sainz; Danny Namaso, Omorodion, Mora.
VITORIA GUIMARAES (4-3-2-1): Varela, Maga, Borevkovic, Rika, Mendes; Beni, Tiago Silva; Felice, Arcanjo, Gustavo; Oliveira.
RESULT PREDICTION: 2-0