Porto vs Napoli Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
by Alex Lawes ·
Portuguese champions FC Porto need a result in the UEFA Champions League as they welcome Napoli to Estadio do Dragao on Wednesday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV & online: UK – TNT Sports & HBO Max / USA – Paramount+
Porto preview: Frustrated Porto
Having returned to the top of Portuguese football last season as they begin a new era with the presidency of Andre Vilas-Boas and management of Francesco Farioli, Porto have won ten from ten in Liga Portugal as they at the top-of-the-table once again.
However, they have succumbed to three defeats from three in the UEFA Champions League with a 2-0 loss to Manchester City being followed by a 3-2 defeat to Real Betis and then a 1-0 defeat at home to PSV Eindhoven.
Napoli preview: Back under pressure
Hammering Monza by four goals to one last week, the pressure had slightly eased on Massimiliano Allegri but the Napoli boss finds himself in the firing line once again after a defeat to his former club Juventus at the weekend.
In Turin against the similarly underperforming Bianconeri, Napoli suffered a 2-0 loss with late goals scored by Kerim Alajbegovic and Jeremie Boga; leaving the Neapolitans drifting towards the middle-of-the-table in Serie A.
Porto team news: Couple of injuries
William Gomes, who is a card away from suspension in this competition, is sidelined for the hosts alongside winger Oskar Pietuszewski. Chris Smalling has recently joined but the former England centre-back is both ineligible and not yet fully fit anyway.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): D. Costa; A. Costa, Bednarek, Kiwior, Sanusi; Froholdt, Rosario; Pepe, Veiga, Sainz; Samu
Unavailable: William (Injured), Pietuszewski (Injured)
Questionable:
Napoli team news: A bit of a crisis
Napoli have loads of issues for this one as Rasmus Hojlund is a doubt due to illness with Vanja Milinkovic-Savic now sidelined and then key men such as Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Kevin De Bruyne also now doubtful due to injuries picked up against Juventus.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Meret; Rrahmani, Marin, Beukema; Politano, Anguissa, Gilmour, McTominay, Vergara; Lang, Lucca
Unavailable: Milinkovic-Savic (Illness), Buongiorno (Injured), Badiashile (Injured), Spinazzola (Injured), Lobotka (Injured), Favasuli (Injured), Alisson (Injured), Neres (Injured)
Questionable: Di Lorenzo (Injured), Olivera (Injured), De Bruyne (Injured), Hojlund (Illness)
Porto vs Napoli prediction
Beaten fairly comfortably by Manchester City, Porto were unfortunate to lose to both Betis and then especially PSV and they will fancy themselves to finally build on strong domestic form on the continent at some stage. Napoli may well be the ideal team for the hosts to face with a lack of confidence and cohesion from the visitors leading to it feeling like an inevitability that Allegri will soon be departing.
Porto vs Napoli Tip: Double chance – Porto to win or draw
