Porto travel to winless Maccabi Tel-Aviv on Wednesday, with the Portuguese two points clear at the top of the standings heading into matchday four.
Porto established a clear lead in Group G on matchday three and will be looking to underline their dominance in the return against a Maccabi Tel-Aviv side who have lost all three games.
The Tel Aviv club, back in the group stage after 11 years, began with a 4-0 defeat at Chelsea FC on matchday one before going down 2-0 at home to FC Dynamo Kyiv. Despite Eran Zahavi’s seven goals in the qualifying rounds, Maccabi won only two of their six fixtures in qualifying and have now lost five of their nine UEFA Champions League matches this season. Zahavi is currently in great form, with five goals in his last five club appearances.
Maccabi secured 1-0 win over Hapoel Tel-Aviv last weekend. Carlos García’s second goal in four outings earned Maccabi the derby spoils – the Spanish defender’s previous 54 appearances had brought a solitary strike.
Porto began their 20th group stage campaign with a 2-2 draw in Kyiv and then won 2-1 at home to Chelsea. They have scored two goals in each of their three games so far.
Since they will almost certainly reach the Champions League knock-out round, they will hope to improve on last season’s run to the quarter-finals where they lost 7-4 on aggregate to FC Bayern München, suffering a 6-1 second-leg loss in Germany. They are 17 games unbeaten in all competitions since that defeat.
Porto were scheduled to face Uniao on Saturday but the match was postponed because adverse weather meant their plane was unable to land in Madeira.
Head to Head
Porto’s first-ever meeting with Israeli opponents ended satisfactorily with a 2-0 win against Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC on matchday three. Vincent Aboubakar and Yacine Brahimi were the scorers for Porto.
Maccabi’s only previous encounter with Portuguese opposition, a 2002/03 UEFA Cup first round tie with Boavista FC, produced a 1-0 first-leg win in their home game, which was staged in Sofia. They went down 4-1 away.
Match facts
Porto have lost just one of their last 13 Champions League games (W8 D4).
In contrast, Maccabi Tel Aviv have won one of their nine games in the Champions League (D1 L7) and are yet to win away in the competition (L5).
Tel Aviv are one of two teams, along with Shakhtar Donetsk, yet to score in this season’s competition.
Porto have scored in each of their last 13 Champions League games.
Maccabi Tel Aviv have never kept a clean sheet in the Champions League group stages (9 games).
Yacine Brahimi (Porto) has completed the most dribbles of anyone so far in this current Champions League season (26).
Maccabi Tel Aviv have managed to register just three shots on target in the Champions League this season; half the number of Shakhtar Donetsk, who are placed directly above them on this list.
Porto have scored three headed goals across their opening three group games; a competition high.
Team news
Maccabi’s Nosakhare Igiebor has missed the last seven fixtures with a knee injury and might require surgery. Dejan Radonjic (back) has also not featured since matchday one. Right-back Eli Dasa (hamstring) is still out.
As for the Porto, Yacine Brahimi sustained a hamstring injury against Braga and is expected to miss the trip to Israel. André Silva (out since 20 September, ankle) made his comeback for Porto’s B side on 21 October.
Predicted line-ups
Maccabi Tel-Aviv: Rajkovic; Shpungin, Tibi, Ben Haim I, Rikan; Alberman, Igiebor, Mitrovic; Ben Haim II, Vermouth, Zahavi.
Porto: Casillas; Maxi Pereira, Marcano, Martins Indi, Layun; Danilo, Ruben Neves, Andre Andre, Imbula, Corona; Aboubakar.
