Porto vs Lazio

Lazio head to the Estadio do Dragão to take on Porto in the first leg of their handsomely-looking UEFA Europa League last-32 tie.

Seeking a maiden European trophy under manager Sérgio Conceição, Porto will continue their European journey in the second-tier competition following decent Champions League group stage showings. Despite beating Lazio’s fierce Serie A rivals AC Milan 1-0 at home in the Champions League group stages earlier this season, Porto’s overall home record against Italian opposition reads indifferently (W7, D6, L4). However, they have won each of their last three such match-ups on the trot. Worryingly, though, the ‘Dragons’ have never won the opening home game in the Europa League knock-out stages (D1, L14), with each of their last six European eliminations coming on the back of the first-leg defeat on home turf. On the bright side, a 2-2 draw with fierce rivals Sporting Lisbon at the weekend extended Porto’s unbeaten domestic run to 17 matches (W16, D1).

On the other hand, Lazio cruised to a 3-0 home victory over fellow Serie A rivals Bologna in the build-up to this fixture. ‘I Biancocelesti’ enjoyed a decent Europa League Group E campaign, going unbeaten in five consecutive games (W2, D3) since a 1-0 loss at Galatasaray on Matchday 1 to ensure a runner-up finish. Lazio’s trip to Portugal could stir some unpleasant memories as they’ve suffered four defeats in their last six UEFA-sanctioned visits to the country (W2). They look unlikely to improve that record here, even though their 1-0 win at Lokomotiv Moscow on Matchday 5 brought their underwhelming 11-game winless run in away European matches to a halt (D4, L7). Indeed, they have lost three out of their last four away fixtures in the Europa League knock-outs, where their overall record outside the Stadio Olimpico reads W2, D4, L5.