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Lazio logo
Europa League | League Stage
Nov 7, 2024 at 8pm UK
Stadio Olimpico
Porto

Lazio
2 - 1
Porto

Romagnoli (45+5'), Pedro (90+2')
Gigot (4'), Zaccagni (28'), Guendouzi (81')
FT(HT: 1-0)
Eustaquio (66')
Loader (15'), Omorodion (30'), Perez (39'), Djalo (45+1'), Gul (81'), Pepe (90+4')

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

Sports Mole previews Thursday's Europa League clash between Lazio and Porto, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

In one of the standout fixtures of matchday four in the Europa League, Vitor Bruno will take his Porto side to the Italian capital to face Lazio on Thursday night.

Lazio sit top of the 36-team standings after three games, and despite a sluggish start on the continent, Porto are now in supreme form themselves.


Match preview

Lazio's Pedro and Matias Vecino celebrate on October 24, 2024© Imago

In a peculiar piece of scheduling by Serie A, Lazio played as recently as Monday, but came through it unscathed, beating Cagliari 2-1 to move into fifth, three points off the summit.

Marco Baroni's side are in great form domestically, and they are also cruising through Europe at present, with three wins from three, and they have been in the lead for 80% of their Europa League games so far.

Along with Tottenham Hotspur and Anderlecht, Lazio still have a 100% record, and an impressive goal difference of plus-eight means they sit top.

The convincing manner of victory is what has been so impressive so far, from a club that has often limped its way through the early stages of European campaigns in recent years.

Home form played a crucial role in their early season form, as Baroni has now oversaw five straight wins at the Stadio Olimpico, contributing to a 13-game unbeaten run here for Lazio.

Across all venues, a 1-0 defeat at Juventus is the only game Lazio have failed to win in their last nine, illustrating the challenge facing visitors Porto here.

Samuel Omorodion of Porto celebrates scoring against Manchester United in the Europa League, on October 3, 2024© Imago

The Portuguese giants have a strong record against the Biancocelesti though, having never previously lost in four meetings.

With six wins in a row, 17 unanswered goals, and none conceded in over eight hours of action, Porto are one of the most in-form sides anywhere in Europe at present.

A stuttering start that saw Vitor Bruno's men lost to Sporting Lisbon and Bodo/Glimt across two competitions means they are still playing catch up - three points behind Sporting, and down in 15th in the Europa League.

The matchday three victory over Hoffenheim has moved them up the standings though, with Samu Omorodion playing an important role again with the clinching goal that moved him to the top of the Europa League scoring charts.

Porto have not faced any team in the form of Lazio at such a high level, though, and the Dragons are often poor travellers to Italy, as in 12 previous trips to the country, Porto have won only once, but that did come in this stadium, against Lazio's rivals Roma back in August 2016.

Lazio Europa League form:


Lazio form (all competitions):


Porto Europa League form:


Porto form (all competitions):



Team News

Lazio's Nuno Tavares pictured on October 2, 2024© Imago

Lazio captain Mattia Zaccagni overcame illness to come on as a late substitute and score the winner from the penalty spot in their 2-1 victory over Cagliari on Monday, and should be fit to start here.

Nuno Tavares sat that game out with suspension and will return, but Tijjani Noslin's matchday-one red card against Dynamo Kyiv means he will serve the final game of that ban here.

In defence, Manuel Lazzari made his first start in over six weeks on Monday, and could feature from the outset for the first time in this competition this season here.

Porto defender Zaidu Sanusi has continued his recovery from an ACL tear by featuring for the club's B team at the weekend, but the medical staff are still very cautious about including him in the first team.

Ivan Marcano remains out with the same injury, and left-back Wendell is also set to miss this encounter with a muscle problem.

After scoring two goals off the bench in the 4-0 win over Estoril at the weekend, Galeno is likely to come in out wide having started Porto's previous two European matches.

Lazio possible starting lineup:
Mandas; Lazzari, Gila, Romagnoli, Nuno Tavares; Vecino, Dele-Bashiru; Pedro, Dia, Zaccagni; Castellanos

Porto possible starting lineup:
Diogo Costa; Martim Fernandes, Perez, Tiago Djalo, Moura; Varela, Nico, Ivan Jaime; Pepe, Samu, Galeno


SM words green background

We say: Lazio 2-1 Porto

Both previous head-to-heads here at the Olimpico have ended in draws between Lazio and Porto, but the form of the home side will make them slight favourites.

No team has beaten Lazio here since early March, and despite a great run of results of their own, this is arguably Porto's biggest challenge yet this season.


For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.




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How you voted: Lazio vs Porto

Lazio
68.5%
Draw
18.0%
Porto
13.5%
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League Phase

TeamPWDLPTS
1Lazio440012
2Ajax431010
3Anderlecht431010
4Frankfurt431010
5Galatasaray431010
6Spurs43019
7FCSB43019
8Lyon42117
9Rangers42117
10Olympiacos42117
11Bodo/Glimt42117
12Midtjylland42117
13Ferencvaros42026
14Man Utd41306
15Plzen41306
16AZ42026
17Besiktas42026
18Hoffenheim41215
19Roma41215
20Fenerbahce41215
21Elfsborg41124
22Braga41124
23Porto41124
24Slavia Prague41124
25Real Sociedad41124
26Malmo41033
27FC Twente40313
28Qarabag41033
29Union SG40222
30Nice40222
31RFS40222
32Ludogorets40131
33PAOK40131
34Athletic Club00000
35M. Tel Aviv40040
36Dynamo Kiev40040


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