Porto vs Royal Antwerp Prediction & Betting Tips - Champions League

Prediction published on 05/11/2023, 14:00  by Daniel Ngulu | Modified on 07/11/2023 at 05:28 in Champions League Predictions

FC Porto will hope to go top of Group H of the UEFA Champions League when they host Belgian side Antwerp. The visitors find themselves bottom of this group going into this game while Porto are second. Hosts Porto will make a big leap towards advancing if they bag three points here. They thrashed Antwerp 4-1 away from home in the first meeting, coming from a goal down. Francisco Evanilson was the star back then with a second half hat trick, adding to Stephen Eustaquio’s goal. Coming into this game though, Porto suffered a shock loss at home to Estoril in the Portuguese league. That loss ended a four-game winning run and left Porto third, six points behind Sporting in the Portuguese league. Their home run hasn’t been solid, with two wins in the last five matches. In the Champions League, at home, they haven't won in the last two but those were against very strong sides.

It is Antwerp’s first taste of the UEFA Champions League and all is not well. After three straight defeats, they have taken up well to their expected underdog status. Mathematically they can still make a top two finish, but a loss here will end any hopes. As things stand, Antwerp are better placed fighting for a third placed finish and drop to the Europa League. Coming into this game however, they are on a two-game winning run. They beat Genk 3-2 in their last game, but there too, they showed frailty in defence. Antwerp led 3-0, but would concede twice as they finished the game shakily. That was just their third win in 11 matches. The Belgians have scored in each of their last seven matches, but have no clean sheet in that run. They advanced to the group stages courtesy of a 3-1 win over AEK Athens but have struggled since.