Porto vs Bayer Prediction: Bet on the Portuguese side in the low-scoring game

Porto have lost both their Champions League group stage fixtures, and the Dragons will have one last chance to get back into contention when they face Bayer. Will the hosts manage to pick up the important 3 points? 

After a good start, there was no sign of trouble for the Dragons, but after winning four games in a row, Porto began to alternate between victories and defeats. In the Champions League, the Dragons lost both to Atletico and Brugge, with the loss to the Belgian club being particularly painful - 0:4. At the same time, Porto had no major problems with the squad. However, it was difficult against Brugge without the suspended forward Mehdi Taremi. Mateus Uribe's participation is now in doubt, and it is potentially the most serious loss before the game with Bayer.

After the international break, Sergio Conceição's side returned to form quite well, and in the last round of the Portuguese championship, they thrashed Braga 4-1. In the 1st half, Porto dominated, allowing only two shots on goal. The Dragons scored 2 goals, but made life difficult for themselves after the break: Pepe netted an own goal. Braga failed to hit a single shot on target, so Porto's defense is to be commended.

Bayer have been one of this season's major disappointments. They are in penultimate place in the Bundesliga, having won only 1 of their 8 games. Bayer's helplessness culminated in the recent game against Bayern, which ended in a dramatic 0-4 defeat. In the Champions League, however, all was not so bad. Thanks to the victory over Atletico, the Leverkusen club can claim victory in the group, and catching up with Brugge is still a realistic prospect. Perhaps the return of Florian Wirtz from injury would help Bayer to find their game, but the young midfielder is still out. Exequiel Palacios and Karim Bellarabi will also be out.

Two and a half years ago, the teams met in the Europa League, and Bayer were twice stronger - 3-1 and 2-1. Porto's line-up has changed greatly since then, and the Leverkusen side has many new names. 

• Porto are coming off 9 wins in their last 10 home games;
• Bayer have lost 5 of their last 10 away matches and won 4;
• Porto have 4 clean sheets in their last 10 games.

Even with a more or less strong squad, Bayer play as the record outsider in the German Bundesliga, and even their penultimate place in the league can hardly be considered unfair. While the German club management has confidence in the head coach, patience is running out, and only Gerardo Seoane's resignation may rectify the situation. Porto are in great form after the international break; the day before, they confidently defeated a serious rival, which is now important to consolidate the success. It is not all over for the Dragons in the Champions League, as they can fight their way out of the group. It is important to take 3 points, and such a task is within the power of Sergio Conceição's wards. I suggest betting on the following outcomes:

• W1 for 2.05;
• Total Under 2.5 goals for 2.10;
• Correct score 1-0 for 8.50.

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