Porto Vs Arouca

In their quest to keep up with Primeira Liga leaders Sporting Lisbon, Porto will host Arouca in a key matchup on Sunday, marking the seventh game week of the season at Estadio do Dragão.

Under the guidance of manager Vitor Bruno, Porto trails Ruben Amorim's Sporting by three points and hopes to at least maintain that gap against a team they struggled against last season.

Match Preview

Following a disappointing defeat in their Europa League opener against Bodo/Glimt earlier this week, Porto is eager to bounce back with a victory at home this weekend. They aim to prevent further distance from Sporting in the early stages of the league standings.

So far this season, Porto has only succumbed to the defending champions in the Portuguese top flight, suffering a 2-0 loss in Lisbon, which remains their only blemish in the league for the 2024-25 season.

While Porto risks falling six points behind Sporting before they even step onto the field on Sunday—should Amorim's side secure victory against Estoril on Friday—they are expected to achieve their sixth league win in seven matches, eager to recover from their recent 3-2 loss in continental competition.

However, Porto will need to approach the game cautiously, as Arouca managed to take four points from their encounters last season. Notably, they drew 1-1 in the corresponding match in September 2023 before delivering a surprising 3-2 defeat to the 30-time league champions in Aveiro seven months ago.

Historically, Porto has enjoyed a dominant run against Arouca, winning seven straight matches across all competitions prior to last season's results. They are keen to revert to their previous success after experiencing an unusual outcome in the 2023-24 campaign.

Heading into this match, Arouca finds themselves in mixed form, despite earning maximum points in round six with a 1-0 victory against Farense.

Alfonso Trezza emerged as the hero last week, scoring the decisive goal to end the Lobos' three-match losing streak on the road and their five-match winless run away from home. They will aim to secure back-to-back away victories for the first time since starting the year with 2-1 wins against Estoril and Portimonense.

The outcome of this match remains uncertain, especially considering the typical dynamics of this fixture. Arouca has lost four of their six matches in the top flight this season leading up to Sunday’s encounter.

Should Arouca triumph, they could elevate themselves into the top half of the league table. Conversely, a defeat may see Gonzalo Garcia's squad tumble into the relegation playoff position, particularly if Nacional—who were recently promoted—manages to defeat Famalicao away, and Boavista, sitting in 15th, secures a victory against the in-form Santa Clara.