Porto Faces Nice in Crucial Europa League Clash

Porto, Portugal – FC Porto is set to host OGC Nice in a vital Europa League match on Thursday at Estádio do Dragão. This game marks the first encounter between the two teams. Porto aims to recover from a recent dip in form, having drawn one and lost one of their last two matches in the competition.

Porto started strong, winning their first two Europa League fixtures against Salzburg (1-0) and Red Star Belgrade (2-1). However, their momentum faltered with a 2-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest, followed by another disappointing outing against Utrecht that ended in a draw despite Nice’s equalizer.

Although Porto has dropped to 14th in the league standings, the team remains confident. They have won 14 of 17 games across all competitions this season. Additionally, they recently secured a spot in the next round of the Portuguese Cup by defeating Sintrense 3-0 at home.

Despite Nice’s struggles, with four consecutive losses in all competitions, Porto head coach expressed faith in his squad’s chances. “We need to find our winning ways again, and this game is crucial for our momentum,” he said.

On the other hand, Nice has battled injuries and poor form, having lost all four of their Europa League matches this season. They sit at the bottom of Group standings without a single point. Their recent performance included a disheartening 5-1 loss to Marseille.

“We are under pressure, and we have to capitalize on any opportunity to turn our season around,” said Nice’s head coach. “We need to fight for every point.”

In terms of personnel, Porto expects several players to return from injury, including key striker Terem Moffi, who played a brief role in their last match. Conversely, Nice will be without several key players, including the injured Moise Bombito and Youssouf Ndayishimiye.

Kickoff is scheduled for 11:15 PM IST, and both teams are eager to secure three points in this critical fixture.