Palmeiras vs Porto predictions: Brazilians could claim opening victory
&w=707&quality=100)
- Palmeiras finished runners-up to Botafogo in Brazil’s Serie A last season
- Porto had to be content with finishing third in the Portuguese Primeira Liga
- Recommended bet: Palmeiras to win
Palmeiras and Porto get their Club World Cup campaigns under way in New Jersey on Sunday and both will feel they have an excellent chance of progressing from Group A.
Porto would love to end their season with a strong run after failing to make much impression domestically and in the Europa League, while Palmeiras will hope to build on some strong results in this season’s Copa Libertadores.
Team news
Teenager Estevao looks set to be a player to watch for Palmeiras during this tournament before he moves to Chelsea, but the Brazilians are sweating on the fitness of former Bayer Leverkusen winger Paulinho, who is struggling with a shin injury.
Porto will be without Marko Grujic, who has been left at home as he nurses a hamstring injury, while defender Tiago Djalo has been ruled out for disciplinary reasons.
The stats
Four of Palmeiras’ last five games have featured at least three goals.
Porto have scored twice in four of their last five games.
There has been a first-half goal in each of Porto’s last 11 matches.
Porto’s away league games last season averaged 7.53 corners, which was the lowest figure in the Portuguese League.
Palmeiras have won seven of their last ten matches without conceding.
Prediction
&w=707&quality=100)
With games against Egyptian side Al Ahly and Lionel Messi and his mates at Inter Miami, both Palmeiras and Porto will believe a victory in their meeting on Sunday could go a long way towards earning them a place in the knockout stages of the Club World Cup.
However, it could be the Brazilians who are celebrating after their New Jersey rendezvous as they look to make up for the disappointment of finishing second in last season’s Serie A.
They have begun their new campaign in fine fashion, especially in South America’s prestigious Copa Libertadores, where the team who were runners-up to Chelsea in this competition three years ago, have won all five of their matches.
There is a strong chance that they will be more battle-ready than their Portuguese opponents as the Brazilian season is just a third of the way through, while Porto have just finished a gruelling campaign.
It was one they will reflect upon in disappointment as they finished third and would have wished to have run champions Sporting a lot closer, finishing 11 points behind the Lisbon outfit.
A playoff exit in the Europa League was another underwhelming performance and it could be that the energy levels on display in the Brazilian camp are a lot higher for this tournament.
Win up to £250,000 with LiveScore 6!
Win up to £250,000 with our free-to-play game, LiveScore 6!
