FC Porto vs Gil Vicente Prediction: The Dragões Favourites To Secure All Three Points In A Commanding Victory

With a goal deficit to overcome in their return to the second leg of the Champions League round of 16 match against Inter Milan, FC Porto will shift their focus in the interim to the Primeira Liga, where they will welcome Gil Vicente to the Estádio do Dragão for their 22nd matchday.

Let's have a look at the latest Portuguese Primeira Liga predictions between FC Porto vs Gil Vicente, team news, probable lineups, match facts and up to date betting odds for you to consider!

FC Porto

Form: WWWWW

The Dragões' first game of 2023 against Casa Pia saw them settle for a scoreless draw against a disadvantaged team that was down 10 players, an outcome that didn't sit well with their loyal supporters who had great expectations.

While it may have appeared that they were losing ground in their title defense by recording that draw, they bounced back even stronger to resurrect their dominance, going 6 straight games with a win—talk about an impressive form.

And this has seen them take maximum points in their previous five matches, the same as table-toppers Benfica, and have proven themselves multiple times to be a juggernaut, putting up one of the most impressive performances in their games.

Their purpose has been evident from the start as they continue to pile pressure on table leaders Benfica, who have not made it easy for them as they continue to expand the point gap on their side, leaving them 5 points short of a first-place finish. They are currently in second place with 51 points.

Team News

FC Porto will continue to be without goalkeeper Francisco Meixedo, who sustained a ligament injury, as well as Gabriel Veron, who suffered an ankle injury.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-4-2

Costa; Mario, Pepe, Marcano, Wendell; Franco, Grujic, Eustaquio, Pepe; Taremi, Martinez

Gil Vicente

Form: DWDLW

The Gilistas were unlucky in their previous meeting against FC Vizela, as they were kept to a 1:1 draw at home after gaining the lead through Carvalho's goal in the 55th minute, only to be startled by a late equalizer in the 87th minute, forcing them to share the spoils.

Previous to that, they eked out a 1:0 victory on the road against Taca de Portugal hopefuls Famalicao, with Murillo Costa scoring in the 51st minute to secure an essential three points.

They presently have a three-game unbeaten streak stamped to their name, with two draws and a victory, while in their previous six games, they have only suffered one loss while trying to keep up a steady form.

With 23 points, they are now in 14th position, but they have only managed to keep a five-point margin between themselves and the relegation playoffs, which isn't really enough because they could wind up being relegation contenders.

Team News

Gil Vicente will be missing Lucas Barros, who has been out with an injury for nearly nine months.

Ali Alipour will also be out for selection after suffering an injury in a match against Famalicao that forced him to be replaced 16 minutes into the first half. And taking his place will be Juan Boselli, a 23-year-old who played a key role in their 1-0 victory thanks to his assist in that game.

Probable Starting XI

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Andrew; Carraca, Araujo, Fernandes, Marin; Aburjania, Tiba; Souza, Fujimoto, Boselli; Navarro

Match Facts

• FC Porto is currently on a five-match winning streak at home.
• In their last 14 away matches, Gil Vicente has yet to win a game against FC Porto.
• The average number of goals scored in a match between FC Porto and Gil Vicente is 2.2.
• When playing at home, FC Porto averages 2.76 goals per game, while Gil Vicente averages 1.23 goals per game when playing away.

Head-To-Head

FC Porto has won 24 of the last 30 meetings; Gil Vicente has won three, and there have been three draws with a goal difference of 64-21 in favor of FC Porto.

Expert Betting Tips

Gil Vicente have been in dismal form away from home, with only three wins in the last ten games, six losses, and one draw, making their prospects of springing a shock by recording a triumph non-existent, making defeat likely.

FC Porto's home form, on the other hand, has been remarkable, with nine victories and one defeat at the Estádio do Dragão, and with such an edge at their disposal, there's no other conclusion to expect here other than a dominant win, as a loss would undoubtedly come as a surprise, let alone a draw.

With nothing to give here, Gil Vicente will have to work hard for the entire 90 minutes to keep FC Porto at bay, thus we're going with the hosts to win by a handicap of -2.0, as they've won three of their last five encounters by a margin of two goals, and the same can be predicted here.

• Handicap 1 -2 for 1.94
• Goals - Over 3.5 for 2.08
• Half-time/Full-time - FC Porto for 1.66