Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Europa League clash between FC Utrecht and Porto, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Winless after three matchdays, FC Utrecht hope for some joy against Porto in Thursday’s Europa League clash at Stadion Galgenwaard.
The Dutch team have yet to score in defeats by Lyon, Brann and Freiburg, while the two-time champions’ winning streak was ended in matchday three’s loss to Nottingham Forest.
Match preview
Utrecht’s venture into Europe’s second-tier club competition has not gone as planned for Ron Jans’s team, who have lost all three matches in the league phase of the competition.
Their defeats to Lyon, Brann and Freiburg stand out even more because they failed to score, losing 1-0, 1-0 and 2-0 respectively.
Consequently, Domstedelingen sit second-from-bottom in the 36-team league phase, with Rangers at the foot of the table owing to a worse goal difference.
Evidently, playing in Europe has been clearly detrimental to last season’s fourth-placed Eredivisie team, as they have secured just two wins from their previous 10 matches across all competitions, losing seven during this period.
A significant challenge for Jans has been finding the right balance between attack and defence, as the team’s inability to keep clean sheets has harmed their chances of success.
Indeed, their 1-0 Eredivisie victory over NEC at the weekend marked Domstedelingen’s first clean sheet since beating PEC Zwolle 2-0 on August 31.
It remains to be seen if the Dutch side will secure consecutive clean sheets on Thursday for the first time since late August, when Porto visit Stadion Galgenwaard, where the hosts have kept only three clean sheets across 10 matches in all competitions this season.
That modest number should motivate Francesco Farioli‘s team, who aim to respond to their 2-0 loss at the City Ground two weeks ago.
That defeat marked the Portuguese giants’ first reverse of the 2025-26 season under their new head coach, and results since then have suggested a return to form, with 2-1 victories over Moreirense and Braga in the Primeira Liga.
However, the lack of clean sheets in the last three games may be concerning for Farioli, who had seen his team keep six shutouts in the previous seven matches across league, cup and continental competitions before this recent drought.
Nevertheless, two Europa League victories over Salzburg and Crvena Zvezda before the setback at Forest have given the two-time champions some margin for error in the eight-match league phase.
By securing six points from nine available, Porto sit 15th among the 36 teams in the league phase, albeit outside the coveted top eight spots on goal difference.
Therefore, Portistas will be aware of the importance of clinching a third win this week, as it could propel the Dragons into the coveted top eight positions, guaranteeing automatic qualification.
While nothing will be decided as the league phase reaches its halfway point, a victory could provide the Liga giants with some positivity heading into the second half of the league phase.
FC Utrecht Europa League form:
FC Utrecht form (all competitions):
Porto Europa League form:
Porto form (all competitions):
Team News
Although Victor Jensen scored five goals in Europa League qualifying, the midfielder has been sidelined by injury and is ineligible for the main competition.
Likewise, Niklas Vesterlund (knee) and Mike van der Hoorn are also likely out due to injury, though the latter will be assessed as the match approaches.
While they have failed to score in Europe, Souffian El Karouani’s driving runs from left-back pose an undeniable threat, as shown by his two Eredivisie goals and six league assists.
Luuk de Jong and Tomas Perez are unlikely to feature for Porto because of injuries, while Yann Karamoh and Nehuen Perez are ineligible.
Despite William Gomes having scored twice for the Dragons in this season’s league phase, the wide attacker is unlikely to start on Thursday.
Though Samu Aghehowa has yet to find the net for Farioli’s team in Europe, the centre-forward has already scored six Liga goals and will back himself to finally net against the struggling Dutch side.
FC Utrecht possible starting lineup:
Barkas; Horemans, Didden, Viergever, El Karouani; Engwanda, Zechiel, Bozdogan; Rodriguez, Haller, Blake
Porto possible starting lineup:
D. Costa; A. Costa, Bednarek, Kiwior, Moura; Froholdt, Varela, Rosario; Sainz, Aghehowa, Pepe
We say: FC Utrecht 1-2 Porto
Utrecht’s failure to score will not last forever, and we expect the Dutch club to end their drought on Thursday.
Nonetheless, Porto are likely to return to winning ways after losing to Forest, possibly moving into the competition’s coveted places.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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