Vizela vs Porto

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This weekend, there will be a clash between two teams in the 2023-24 Primeira Liga season, with Vizela facing Porto at Estadio Do Vizela on Sunday evening. The two teams have had contrasting starts to the season.

Vizela currently occupies the 15th spot in the league standings, having accumulated six points in the first eight matches. On the other hand, Porto is in third place and is only three points behind the league leaders, Sporting Lisbon.

Vizela's form has been disappointing, as they failed to secure a win in their final eight league matches last season. Unfortunately, this poor form has persisted into the current campaign, and they find themselves tied on points with Arouca, in a relegation playoff position.

In their recent league outing, Vizela played to a 0-0 draw against Farense, extending their winless streak in the top flight to four games. This streak includes losses to Benfica and Portimonense, as well as a draw against Estoril.

The international break provided some respite for Pablo Villar's team, who returned to action in a Taca de Portugal fixture last weekend, winning 1-0 against Atletico CP, a Liga 3 team. While the victory may have lifted team spirits, the actual performance of Villar's squad left much to be desired. They seemed to lack a killer instinct and only managed to break the deadlock late in the second half.

Vizela faces a tough challenge in their upcoming match, as they have been unable to secure a win against their opponents in their last four encounters. During that time, Porto has outscored them 11-2.

In the ongoing 2023-24 league season, Porto has had a strong beginning, currently tallying 19 points. Their record stands at six victories, one draw, and one defeat, as they closely trail the top two teams.

Their sole setback in the Primeira Liga this season occurred when they suffered a 1-0 loss to Benfica at the end of the previous month. During that match, Porto played with only 10 players for over an hour after Fabio Cardoso received a direct red card.

After the international break, the Dragons returned with a routine 2-0 triumph over Vilar de Perdizes. Subsequently, they secured a significant 4-1 win against Antwerp in the Champions League, elevating them to the second position in their group, three points behind Barcelona.

Sergio Conceicao will now need to shift his focus back to the league as they face a favorable series of fixtures over the next month before an important encounter against Sporting Lisbon in mid-December.

Porto's goal-scoring prowess hasn't been as sharp as expected in the early stages of the season, with only 11 goals scored, the lowest among the top seven teams in the league standings. Nevertheless, when facing a team they have historically dominated, it wouldn't be surprising to see the net ripple with more goals in this upcoming match.

The home team has had a challenging season so far, and they currently sit just above the relegation zone. In their most recent league match, they played to a scoreless draw against newly-promoted Farense. They followed this with a 1-0 victory over third-tier team Atletico CP in the Taca de Portugal last weekend.

Vizela is currently positioned 15th in the league standings, having accumulated only six points from eight games. They are just two points ahead of Estoril Praia, who are at the bottom of the league and will aim to increase that gap in their upcoming match.

Porto has had a strong start to the league campaign and sees themselves as potential title contenders. They secured a 1-0 win against Portimonense in their last league game and a 4-1 comeback victory over Royal Antwerp in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.

In the Primeira Liga standings, Porto holds the third position with 19 points collected so far. They will seek to maintain their impressive form when they play on Sunday.

Vizela and Porto have met on eight occasions, with Porto remaining undefeated in all of these matchups. They have recorded seven wins and one draw. Porto has won their last six encounters with a total score of 18-3. Vizela has failed to score in their last three matches against Porto. Porto boasts the best defensive record in the Primeira Liga this season, having conceded only six goals. However, they have scored just 11 goals in the Portuguese top-flight this season, which is the second-lowest among teams in the top half of the league table.

Vizela's most recent result marked the end of a four-game winless streak, and they will aim to build on this performance in their upcoming match. It's worth noting that Vizela has lost their last two matches at their home ground, Estadio do FC Vizela, which could pose a challenge for them in this game.

Isela is probably going to go with a 4-2-3-1 shape, but Orest Lebedenko, Matias Lacava, and Jardel won't be playing because of injuries.

At left back, Matheus Pereira has had a strong start to the season, playing in every game. However, he is treading carefully because he has already had four yellow cards this season and faces suspension.

With four goals this season, Samuel Essende leads the team in scoring and is expected to lead the line with Nuno Moreira and Matias Lacava supporting him.

Conversely, Conceicao has a somewhat long record of casualties, with Gabriel Veron, Wendell, Ivan Jaime, and Zaidu Sanusi all listed as having had muscle injuries.