Champions League: Porto and Roma is Right in the Balance

Porto vs AS Roma

It may not be the Champions League tie of the Round of 16, but when Porto hosts Roma at the 50,000 capacity Estadio do Drageo we’ll have a game well worth watching.

The Italians bring a one goal lead to Portugal, while the hosts have a vital away goal in their pocket. This clash is right in the balance. The Portuguese champions, guided by head coach Sergio Conceicao have a rich history in the tournament and are fully deserving of their place in the knockout stage of this year’s competition; while Roma is a big team in one of Europe’s toughest leagues, Serie A.

Both Porto and Roma have been in good form, but they each had a serious setback in their domestic leagues at the weekend, so all 22 players on the pitch will be working their socks off to give their fans something to cheer.

Neither team is in the higher reaches of the Champions League 2019 betting odds table, but the winner of this tie will be in the quarter finals, and Roma made the last four in 2018.

It’s a big prize.

Talking Points

Herrera will have his team fired up

The 28 times winners of the Primeira Liga stayed in the tie in Rome with a 2-1 defeat and that crucial away goal courtesy of Adrian Lopez. The second half strike altered the dynamics of the tie dramatically and the Dragoes will be right up for this game. Since his arrival in 2013 captain Hector Herrera has become a central figure at the Estadio do Drageo. The Mexico international leads his team by example with over 200 appearances for the club and a combative approach in midfield, ideally placed to support his strikers and protect his defence.

Porto’s strikers fared well in the group stages. Moussa Marega has five goals in the competition and Jesus Corona has three, while Brazilian Otavio is a constant threat.

Conceicau’s team is battling it out at the top of the Primeira Liga with Benfica but conceded top spot at the weekend in a 1-2 reversal against their rivals, after Lopez had put the hosts ahead. They’ll still be hurting from that, but the Porto players need to challenge their anger and lift the home crowd.

The hosts can’t afford to be gung ho though and goalkeeper Iker Casillas will be a key figure, well aware of Roma’s attacking threat.

Roma’s derby day disaster

Can Nicolo Zanolio lead Roma to a positive Champions League 2019 news as they clash against Porto? — Nicolo Zanolio scored a brace in the first leg in Rome

A Rome derby defeat to Lazio, a 3-0 result, was hardly the preparation Eusebio Di Francesco wanted for this Champions League clash. Lazio has been on a poor run but has now climbed to within three points of Roma who occupy fifth place. Skipper Aleksandar Kolarov saw red as Roma crashed and burned but he’ll be available for this tie.

Coach Di Francesco was critical of his team, saying: “This year we’re not how we should be mentally and we have to change. Our approach wasn’t positive and that determined the outcome.” Roma fans will be hoping that their other key defender Kostas Manolas has recovered from the stomach problem which kept him out at the weekend.

And, up front, the Giallorossi needs to keep its nerve. Roma can be wasteful in front of goal, and that cost them dearly in a recent 1-1 home draw with Milan, another dent to their top four hopes.

19 year old Nicolo Zaniolo made the Champions League 2019 news headlines in the first leg with two goals, and it will be interesting to see if he makes the cut, with Stephan El Shaarawy, Edin Dzeko and Cengis Under all likely to feature. Dzeko and Under have eight goals between them in the competition, Dzeko with five.

History

Porto is twice winner of the Champions League, the last time under Jose Mourinho in 2004 when a 3-0 final win over Monaco announced the arrival of Jose as one of Europe’s best managers.

Roma’s best effort was a final appearance back in 1984 when they were beaten by Liverpool. And it was Jurgen Klopp’s team which ended Roma’s superb run in last season’s competition at the semi-final stage.

Both were on winning runs, Porto on three and Roma on four before the weekend big match setbacks.

Nine of the last ten games featuring these two teams have yielded over 2.5 goals, the only exception being a 2-0 league win for Porto over Vitorio Setubal. So we can expect goals.

Betting Tip

	Porto vs AS Roma	Over 2.50 goals @ 1.79
	March 7, 04:00 (GMT+8)

With SBOBET odds of 2.06 on a home win, 3.40 for a draw and 3.45 Roma, this is a game which could go any way of three. I have a sneaky feeling that the hosts might do enough to go through, and for an alternative bet you can back Porto at 2.53 to advance to the next round.

But I’m expecting Roma’s defence to come under fire, as well as their strikers working for the early goal right from the kick-off, so a three goal game looks likely.