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Sports Mole previews Monday’s Primeira Liga clash between Moreirense and Porto, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Primeira Liga leaders Porto look to rediscover their explosive touch when they travel to Moreira de Conegos to face Moreirense on Monday.
The Dragons seek a swift response after a 2-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the Europa League, while the hosts also head into this contest disappointed, having been knocked out of the Portuguese Cup by third-tier side AD Fafe.
Match preview
Porto began the 2025-26 season in blistering fashion with nine straight victories across all competitions but have now failed to win two of their last three.
Thursday’s setback at Forest marked the maiden defeat of the campaign under Francesco Farioli, who also watched his side concede twice in a game for the first time since his appointment in July.
That followed a goalless O’Classico draw against Benfica in the Primeira Liga, with a 4-0 Taca de Portugal victory over fourth-tier outfit CD Celoricense sandwiched between those two blemishes.
Back in domestic action, Porto — three points clear at the summit after winning seven of their eight league games — will look to tighten their grip on top spot with another triumph, and confidence will be high given they have beaten Moreirense in each of the last six top-flight meetings.
The Dragons were 3-0 winners in this very fixture last season before sealing a 3-1 victory at Estadio do Dragao in the return leg, so another comfortable win would hardly raise eyebrows considering their dominance at both ends of the pitch.
Porto have scored 19 times in the league – second only to Sporting Lisbon’s 20 – while their solitary goal conceded unsurprisingly remains the fewest of any side in the division.
Moreirense, meanwhile, have been a mix of brilliance and vulnerability at opposite ends, scoring 12 times in eight games – a tally bettered by just five teams – while conceding 11, the third most among sides in the top half.
Vasco Botelho da Costa’s men sit fifth on 15 points, a reflection of a solid start to 2025-26, and being the only side yet to draw this season highlights their all-or-nothing approach.
Moreirense’s form pattern tells the story of inconsistency, having alternated between wins and defeats in their last six Premeira Liga matches, the latest being a 3-2 reverse at Nacional before the international break.
Despite their unpredictability, Os Verdes e Brancos have been flawless on home turf, winning all four games, and they will hope that fortress mentality helps them withstand the league leaders’ test on Monday.
Moreirense Primeira Liga form:
Moreirense form (all competitions):
Porto Primeira Liga form:
Porto form (all competitions):
Team News
Moreirense’s top scorer Guilherme Schettine, with five league goals to his name, has missed the last two matches, but reports suggest the Brazilian could be fit to feature on Monday.
Rodrigo Alonso’s return from injury – having featured off the bench in the Portuguese Cup – adds valuable depth in midfield for Botelho da Costa, particularly with a few absentees in that area.
Vasco Sousa is unavailable to face his parent club, while Lawrence Ofori remains sidelined with an abductor problem.
Caio Secco is expected to return in goal after missing the Cup match against Fafe, with Andre Ferreira likely to make way.
Aside from injuries to Nehuen Perez and Luuk de Jong, Porto have no fresh concerns, giving Farioli plenty of options to shuffle his pack.
Gabri Veiga could return to the lineup in place of Pablo Rosario, while Martim Fernandes is pushing for a start at right-back after a lively cameo in midweek, which could see Alberto Costa drop out.
Moreirense possible starting lineup:
Secco; Martinez, Marcelo, Maracas, Pinto; Stjepanovic, Benny, Alan; Bondoso, Schettine, Teguia.
Porto possible starting lineup:
D Costa; Moura, Kiwior, Bednarek, M Fernandes; Veiga, Varela, Froholdt; Pepe, Aghehowa, Sainz
We say: Moreirense 0-1 Porto
Porto’s recent stumbles and a third straight away trip may test their endurance, but the Dragons should still find a way through in a tight contest where their watertight defence could prove decisive.
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