Liverpool made a strong statement in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal tie with Porto, winning 2-0 at Anfield last week. Midfielder Kaby Neita and striker Roberto Firmino found the back of the net early in the first half, giving the Reds enough breathing room to cruise the rest of the way. Porto was able to find some attacking room, particularly in the second half, and Moussa Marega delivered some challenges from the wing. Once again, we saw how Liverpool can stop paying attention when they build an early lead — and how that loss of attention can lead to problems. They did the same thing in their Premier League win over Chelsea on Sunday, as they scored twice to open the second half, going up 2-0, only to see Eden Hazard run rampant in their back line, and Hazard was a post away from scoring one for the Blues. Can Liverpool close the deal in Portugal? Or will the hosts pull off the upset? We have your Champions League sports betting preview here.
Porto vs Liverpool UEFA Champions League Odds & Prediction
✈️➡️Estadio do Dragao
Our confirmed 21-man squad for Wednesday’s #UCL quarter-final 👇https://t.co/U1r2YY6weQ — Liverpool FC (@LFC) April 16, 2019
- When: Wednesday, April 17, 2019, 3:00pm ET
- Where: Estadio do Dragao, Porto, Portugal
- TV: TNT
- Radio: None
- Live Stream: fubo.tv
- Opening Soccer Odds: Liverpool +105 / Draw +240 / Porto +265
Why should you bet on Porto?
Porto will have midfielder Hector Herrera and backliner Pepe back for the second leg after both had to sit out the first leg thanks to a suspension. Both of them have played key roles in Porto’s success not just in domestic league play but also in their advancement to the Champions League quarterfinal. They will add some teeth to the Porto defense and make it harder for the Reds to get out to another early lead. On the Liverpool side, captain Jordan Henderson may not appear, as he came off with an injury against Chelsea and may rest, given the aggregate lead that Liverpool has in the series. James Milner may start in his stead.
Porto has played well lately, winning five of six in the Primeira Liga, where they currently sit in second place in the table to Benfica — who is the only team to beat them in their last six. That win did come at Estadio do Dragao, though, showing that Porto’s home pitch is not impregnable this year either. If you like Porto (and the bet is on this match, not on whether they advance), you see them taking the game to Liverpool from the outset and taking advantage of what could be a distracted side.
Why should you put your money on Liverpool?
Realistically, the Reds only need to score once to ensure their passage through to the Champions League semifinals, as that away goal would mean that Porto would have to put up four goals and win 4-1 to advance. Last year, Porto and Liverpool met in the Round of 16, and the first leg was at Estadio do Dragao — and Liverpool dealt out a 5-0 thumping. Porto has never beaten Liverpool in seven attempts. All seven of those matches have taken place in two-legged European fixtures.
Liverpool comes in riding some momentum, winners of five out of six in English Premier League play. The exception was a scoreless draw against Everton; in 2019, though, Liverpool has lost just twice across all competitions, a pair of 2-1 losses, one to Wolves in the FA Cup (with a depleted roster) and the other at Manchester City in EPL play. The talent edge clearly lies with the Reds, but will they rest key starters and play conservatively with that aggregate lead?
Expert Pick and Final Score Prediction
I see Liverpool taking a conservative approach to this game but making the hosts pay for at least one mistake on the back end, as Porto will have to push hard to get lots of offense from the early going. After Liverpool gets that away goal, though, they will retreat into a shell and focus on defense. I predict a final score of Liverpool 1, Porto 1.
