Boavista FC vs FC Porto: Preview, Odds, Form Guide and Players to Watch (May 11) | OneFootball

The Porto derby, also known as Dérbi da Invicta, offers football fans a mouthwatering fixture this weekend that should provide plenty of excitement and entertainment. This derby is usually a fiery affair, but there will be some added incentive this time around with Boavista FC and FC Porto entering the penultimate round of the Primeira Liga season with plenty to play for. These two clubs may be on opposite ends of the table, but both sides are desperately in need of points coming into Sunday’s clash.

A last minute winner from Abdoulay Diaby against AVS last week saw Boavista overtake the Aves-based club to move up to 16th in the table. It was the first time Boavista have moved out of the bottom two since Jornada 15. Stuart Baxter’s side are level on points with AVS and Farense going into the final two matches, and every point will be critical as the three clubs enter the final stretch knowing only one of them can avoid relegation.

Meanwhile, Porto find themselves tangled in a battle for third-place with SC Braga. If the Dragons do finish fourth, it would be the first time the club have ended a season outside of the top three since 1976.

Preview

Boavista looked dead and buried coming into the month of April with the club firmly rooted to the bottom of the standings. A midseason coaching change that saw Lito Vidigal take charge failed to inspire the squad and British manager Stuart Baxter was signed in April to administer an improbable revival for the Porto club.

A 1-0 win over fellow relegation strugglers Farense last month followed by a 2-1 victory over AVS on Monday puts Boavista back in the safety zone. Furthermore, their superior head-to-head record against AVS and Farense means that if the season were to end today, the club would avoid the drop and face a relegation playoff. If the Panthers can somehow manage six points from their finals two matches against Porto and Arouca, they have a strong possibility of remaining in the Primeira Liga.

Boavista have secured 24 points from 32 matches this season, with the club winning just six games so far. The main issue for the Panthers has been a lack of goals. Boavista have scored just 22 times in the league, which is tied with Farense for the fewest amount.

Over the 2023-24 campaign, Róbert Boženík led the way with 11 goals and two assists but the Slovakian striker failed to live up to the buzz this season. The forward leads the Boavista squad in goals, but has managed to get on the scoresheet just four times over 32 appearances. Midfielder Miguel Reisinho also has four goals, and Ilija Vukotić and Bruno Onyemaechi are next on the list with three goals apiece.

Playing at the Estádio do Bessa should give Os Axadrezados a slight edge, but the numbers show that Boavista have struggled at home. They have secured just one win so far in 16 home league games. Overall, the club have managed just six points at home, the fewest in the Primeira Liga.

Going into the 2024-25 campaign, a new-look Porto side were hoping that a mix of promising young prospects and some talented acquisitions could lead the club back to the European Champions League. That, however, has not been the case.

Argentinian manager Martín Anselmi was brought in halfway through the season to lift a Porto side that struggled over the first half of the campaign. The Azuis e brancos have failed to win the league since 2022, and after falling behind rivals Sporting and Benfica, will have to wait at least one more year.

Porto are currently third in the standings with 65 points from 32 games, and level on points with Braga. The team has been strong defensively, conceding just 29 goals over 32 league matches, but critical losses against Portugal’s biggest sides have cost the club. Porto managed just one point in four games against Sporting and Benfica, and were outmatched in those fixtures, conceding 11 times.

There have been some positives for the Portistas, with several exciting players showing promising signs. Rodrigo Mora, who turned 18 this week, is one of the brightest young prospects on the continent. He has scored some wonderful goals this season and despite his small frame, has the potential to develop into one of Europe's top attacking midfielders. Forward Sumu Aghehowa is regarded as one of the elite strikers in the league. The 21-year-old is second in the Primeira Liga scoring charts with 18 goals, behind only Sporting’s Viktor Gyökeres.

One issue Porto face going into Sunday’s game is that goalkeeper Diogo Costa remains a doubt due to an injury. The Portuguese international is considered one of the team’s leaders. He has been a regular feature in the lineup, starting 41 matches this season.

Odds

Over 2.5 total goals: 1.62, Under 2.5 goals: 1.90

*All odds provided from Betano.pt. Odds are subject to change prior to kick off.

Form Guide (All Competitions)

Boavista:

Head-to-head Record

The rivalry between Boavista and Porto dates back well over 100 years and the two teams  have played 151 times over six different competitions. Historically, Porto have held the advantage in this fixture, winning 104 (68.9%) of those games and securing 24 (15.9%) draws. Boavista have won 23 (15.2%) times with their last victory over the Dragons coming all the way back in April, 2007.

In the Primeira Liga, the two teams have faced each other 123 times with Porto winning 88 (71.5%) of those matches. Boavista have won 18 (14.6%) games and there have been 17 (13.8%) draws.

In recent seasons, Porto have dominated their inter-city rivals, winning six of the last seven matches and outscoring Boavista 17-4 over that period.

When the two sides met at the Estádio do Dragão earlier this season, Porto cruised to a 4-0 victory. Striker Samu Aghehowa scored two goals that night and Nico González and Rodrigo Mora were also able to get their names on the scoresheet.

Players to Watch

The arrival of Tomáš Vaclík in February has provided a major boost for a Boavista side that has struggled to find consistency between the posts. Injuries to João Gonçalves and Luís Pires left the club thin in the goalkeeping department, with the academy’s 17-year-old Tomé Sousa filling in at one point of the season. Brazilian stopper César has been reliable when called upon, but Vaclík is definitely an upgrade.

Vaclík has been sensational over the last few weeks. A series of brilliant saves in the first half against AVS last week kept his team in the match. A 3-0 defeat against Benfica along with a 5-0 demolition at the hands of Sporting means the Czech goalkeeper has conceded 16 goals over 10 matches, but that number does not tell the whole picture. Vaclík provides a presence in the back that the club has been missing for the majority of the season, and could be the difference between these two sides on Sunday night.

Porto’s season has been filled with highs and lows and it is hard to predict what will come next from Martín Anselmi’s side. One constant for the Dragons has been Samu’s goals, which have helped keep Porto at the top end of the table and in contention for a top three finish.

It is no surprise that Samu has been linked with some of Europe’s top clubs. The Spanish striker burst onto the scene with seven goals in his first six matches for Porto, which included two goals in a thrilling Champions League clash against Manchester United back in October that finished 3-3. Two goals against Moreirense in the last round of Primeira Liga fixtures takes Sumu’s tally up to 24 goals in all competitions.