The 28th Matchday of the Primeira League will open on Friday night with the city duel between the Futebol Clube do Porto and the Boavista Futebol Clube. The 28-time Portuguese champions FC Porto is also in this season a duel with record champions Benfica Lisbon. The two rivals are tied to the top of the table after 27 matchdays. But Benfica has a goal difference better by eleven goals. Porto has been unbeaten in five competitive games and is facing a compulsory challenge with the home game against the BFC.
The black and white from Porto, however, have only four points clear of the first relegation place after 27 matchdays. After the forced relegation in the 2008/09 season, the Boavista occasionally even led to the third Portuguese league, the club returned in 2014/15 back into the Primeira Liga. After places 13 and 14 in the first two seasons, the checkers had in the last two years, with a ninth and an eighth place do not worry about the league. But this season makes the Panthers especially the outward weakness to create. In 13 guest appearances, there was only one victory. The odds that this balance improves on Friday, stand in the game Porto vs.. Boavista according to the rates extremely bad. The hosts go into the game as high favorites.
Porto:
In the Portuguese league fight also this season the two absolute top clubs for the championship. On 24 Matchday FC had to leave the league standings after a 1: 2 home defeat in the top match against Benfica the long-standing rivals and record champions. Already on the 25th match day the dragons were able to catch up with Lisbon again. Since then, both clubs are tied at the top of the Primeira Liga. The reigning champion Porto has the slightly worse goal difference. The duo’s distance to the first pursuer is eight points. After the first round Porto still had a margin of five points on Benfica. In the second half of the FCP but is only the number two in the league, five behind Lisbon. With only 17 goals conceded, the kites have the best defense of the league. In front of their own fans, there were only eight nets behind the keeper in 13 games. Coach Conceicao’s team are on offense at 56 goals in 27 games, while record champions Benfica have struck 73 times.
In general, the blue and white of FC Porto dance at three weddings. With the 1-1 draw in the semi-final second leg on Tuesday at Sporting Braga, Porto moved to the final of the Portuguese Cup. There you will meet Sporting in the final on 25 May. In the Champions League, the FCP has reached the quarter-finals for the first time since 2015. The opponent in the round of the last eight is Liverpool. Also in terms of planning for the future, Porto did a lot in the last days and weeks. Iker Casillas extended his contract for two seasons until 2021. The contract with the Brazilian Kelvin, however, was dissolved. His compatriot Eder Militao, who had come from Sao Paulo for four million euros before the season, will move to Real Madrid for 50 million euros this summer. Alex Telles and captain Hector Herrera are due to move to Atletico Madrid. Coach Sergio Conceicao missed the city derby. Already on Saturday, FC Porto had to play in the league at Sporting Braga. In the 3-2 away win the coach was provided after an incident with a supporter of the host with an eight -day suspension. Vincent Aboubakar and Alex Telles are injured. Felipe is holding a yellow card.
Boavista:
Since the end of January 2019, the Boavista Futebol Clube has a new coach. Lito Vidigal succeeds Jorge Simao. After the 0-2 home win against Portimonense on Matchday 18, the club pulled the emergency brake. Boavista was only one place ahead of the relegation zone with 16 points. The debut of the new coach was with a 1: 5 bust at Benfica but anything but successful. After nine games under Vidigal the balance of the Panther is in total four wins, a draw and four defeats. The distance to the first relegation place could be increased after all to four points. Nevertheless, the league is still far from being in the towel. Especially abroad, the checkers are extremely weak this season. Out of 13 appearances, the BFC has only scored seven points with one win and four draws. No team in the Primeira Liga was weaker on the opponent’s place.
At home, Boavista is doing much better. With 22 points from 14 games in front of their own fans, the club from Porto is in eighth place in the home table. In his own stadium, the men of Coach Vidigal managed the feat to get these 22 points with only 12 goals. After a 15th place in the first round, the Black and Whites are with 10th place in the re-series table significantly better. Last Sunday, Boavista FC celebrated a 2-0 win at home to Belenenses after three consecutive defeats. Nije and Mateus had scored the goals for the hosts. Now it’s time for an away game. In the stranger, the checkers have been waiting for a victory for 12 league games. Helton Leite is missing in the Derby only injured.
PREDICTION: Over 2,5 goals @ 1.54
