Preview: Porto vs. Casa Pia - prediction, team news, lineups

The Dragons are four points behind league-leaders Benfica, with just three games left to play, while the visitors are rooted in midtable, currently sitting in ninth place.

Match preview

Porto have won the Primeira Liga title in two of the three previous campaigns, including the last one, however their chances of retaining it are fading, with time now running out.

The Dragons are in second place, but with just three games left to play, it is unlikely they are able to catch Benfica, who have won their last three games on the spin, without conceding a goal.

In fairness, Sergio Conceicao's side are holding their nerve at the business end of the season, winning their last eight games on the bounce, and they have collected four more points than Benfica over the last 20 games.

However, the Blue and Whites' slow start to the season has most likely cost them, unless there is a remarkable turnaround in the remaining games, although stranger things have happened in football.

Even if Porto are unable to win the title, they will be pleased they have managed to secure Champions League football for next season, while they could also still win the Taca de Portugal, recently booking their place in the final with a 3-2 victory against Famalicao.

Casa Pia are likely to be very pleased with their first season in the Primeira Liga, having only been promoted back to the Portuguese top flight last season, as they have not been drawn into the relegation battle.

In fact, the Geese have managed to challenge near the top end of the table, and they are seven points off the top six with three games left to play, but their recent form has rendered them very unlikely to finish inside the European qualification places.

Filipe Martins' side have drawn two and lost four of their last six matches, and in truth they have been very disappointing throughout the second half of the season, collecting just 20 points in their last 20 games.

Casa Pia are very rarely outplayed, and they know they are capable of giving Porto a good game, given that they pushed Sporting CP all the way in early April, before eventually losing 4-3 after being reduced to 10 men.

Last time out, the Geese brought a two-game losing run to an end with a 1-1 draw at home to Portimonense, however they really should have taken more, conceding a 94th-minute goal, which was the visitors' second shot on target in the entire match.

Porto Primeira Liga form:

W

W

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Porto form (all competitions):

W

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W

Casa Pia Primeira Liga form:

L

L

D

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L

D

Team News

Porto have no fresh injury concerns, but Conceicao may choose to make one change to his side in attack, given that they only narrowly scraped past Arouca in their last match, winning 1-0.

Evanilson was not at his best last weekend, failing to score for the eighth Primeira Liga game in a row, meaning Toni Martinez could be brought in at striker, having netted two goals in his last five matches.

Casa Pia have a couple of long-term absentees, with Kiki set to be sidelined with injury for the seventh game on the spin, and Leo Natel is not available due to a broken leg sustained last November.

Romario Baro is a doubt, after missing the last six games with injury, although the midfielder could be fit enough to make the bench.

Porto possible starting lineup:

Costa; Pepe, Pepe, Marcano, Wendell; Otavio, Grujic, Eustaquio, Galeno; Taremi, Martinez

Casa Pia possible starting lineup:

Batista; Fernandes, Varela, Tchamba; Soares, Mukendi, Neto, Lelo; Saviour, Soma, Martins

We say: Porto 2-1 Casa Pia

Although Casa Pia's form has tailed off considerably in the second half of the season, they are very rarely on the receiving end of any heavy defeats, with their last three defeats being by one-goal margins.

As such, we expect Porto to emerge as narrow winners, just about managing to keep themselves in contention for the Primeira Liga title.

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