Preview: Porto vs. Benfica - prediction, team news, lineups

Porto are currently three points adrift of the visitors, who currently sit top of the league table after dropping only two points this season.

Match preview

Porto may be in second place ahead of the Classico, but they head into the contest in imperious form after winning their last five games in all competitions.

In that period, Sergio Conceicao's side have scored 17 goals, while they have kept four consecutive clean sheets, highlighting their quality at both ends of the pitch.

Since they were last involved in league action, Porto have won 3-0 away to Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and cruised to a 6-0 win over Anadia in the Taca de Portugal.

Porto will now turn their attention back to the title race, and although they have dropped four points this season, they still have a 100% home record in the Primeira Liga.

Impressively, the hosts have already beaten Sporting Lisbon 3-0 and Braga 4-1 at home this season, and after racking up 15 goals across their four league games at the Estadio Do Dragao, they will be confident of continuing their fine goalscoring form against their bitter rivals.

After playing 18 games in all competitions, Benfica are still yet to lose this season, and in the league, they have won eight of their nine matches.

Although four of their last five contests have finished level after 90 minutes, two of those draws have come against European giants Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

In their most encounter, Benfica were held 1-1 by third-tier side Caldas in the Taca de Portugal following 120 minutes of action, but Roger Schmidt's side avoided a potential upset by prevailing 5-3 on penalties.

With a place in the next round of the cup secured, Benfica will have the chance to extend their lead at the top of the table to six points when they face Porto on Friday.

As well as attempting to maintain their unbeaten record, Benfica will also be looking to continue their impressive defensive record that stretches back to last season, after keeping seven consecutive away clean sheets in the Primeira Liga.

Porto Primeira Liga form:

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Porto form (all competitions):

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Benfica Primeira Liga form:

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Benfica form (all competitions):

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Team News

Porto will be unable to call upon the services of experienced defender Pepe, who has missed the last three matches due to a knee injury.

His namesake will be involved though, with the winger expected to operate on the left flank, while Otavio will begin the contest on the right.

Mehdi Taremi scored a brace in the Champions League win over Leverkusen, and the 30-year-old could be joined in the forward line by Evanilson, who has scored four league goals this season.

As for Benfica, they are expected to be without defenders Lucas Verissimo and Morato due to injury issues, while David Neres is also unavailable.

Schmidt made wholesale changes for Saturday's cup game, and the Benfica boss is set to name a lineup similar to the one that started against PSG.

Gilberto and Diego Goncalves began the 1-1 draw against the French Champions on the bench, but the pair could come into the starting lineup for the Classico.

Porto possible starting lineup:

Costa; Mario, Cardoso, Carmo, Zaidu; Otavio, Uribe, Eustaquio, Pepe; Evanilson, Taremi

Benfica possible starting lineup:

Vlachodimos; Gilberto, A. Silva, Otamendi, Grimaldo; Fernandez, Aursenes; Goncalves, Mario, R. Silva; Ramos

We say: Porto 1-1 Benfica

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