Europa League
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Played
February 16, 2012 8:05 PM GMT
Estádio Do Dragão — Porto
Referee:‬ C. Çakιr‎
Attendance:‬ 47417‎
 
27′ Silvestre Varela
Alvaro Pereira 55′ (OG)
 
Kun Agüero 85′

Porto - Manchester City Preview: Current Europa League holders yet to taste defeat at home this season

Both teams expected progression in the Champions League but after third placed group finishes will now focus on the competition that the Portuguese side won last season

By Matt Scott

More On :  Manchester City, Porto, Porto vs Manchester City
EPL: Mario Balotelli - Sergio Aguero, Manchester City v Tottenham
Getty Images

 PROBABLE LINEUPS

PORTO
http://i1.goal.com/files/images/stats/goal/team-logos/2/292_48x48.jpg

Helton
Danilo, Rolando, Maicon, Pereira
Fernando, Moutinho, Lucho
Varela, Hulk, J. Rodriguez
MANCHESTER CITY


Hart
Richards, Kompany, Lescott, Clichy
Milner, Barry, Nasri
Silva
Balotelli, Aguero

Porto new signing Marc Janko is ineligible for the game as he has already played in this season's Europa League for FC Twente.

Young striker Kleber is a major doubt due to illness and Emidio Rafael is out with a long-term injury but Vitor Pereira has an otherwise full squad to choose from.

Roberto Mancini has a fully fit and available squad to him, which in itself may pose the Italian a headache due to the plentiful options within his squad although Kolo and Yaya Toure are unlikely to feature so soon after their return from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Carlos Tevez is another to make a recent return to Manchester but the Argentine is also expected to miss out, Mario Balotelli may return to the side after missing his side's last four games and the former Inter striker will be hoping to continue the good form he showed before his absence.


 DID YOU KNOW?
  • Porto are unbeaten at home this season in all competitions, winning ten of their 13 games at Estadio Dragao this season.
  • Hulk (pictured) is Porto's top scorer this season, netting 12 times in all competitions.
  • The reigning Portuguese League champions currently sit second in the division, five points behind table topping Benfica.
  • Porto have played seven competitive fixtures in 2012, winning five while drawing and losing the other two.
  • This match is the first ever competitive meeting between the two sides.
  • Manchester City lost two of their away games in the Champions League this season at Bayern Munich and Napoli but triumphed at Villarreal.
  • Yaya Toure is City's top scorer in Europe this season with three goals, Mario Balotelli has netted twice and three members of the Citizens' squad have a single strike to their name.
  • Of City's eight defeats in all competitions this season their only loss of more than one goal came in European competition, a 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in September.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Porto 1-3 Manchester City
    14.65 %
  • Porto 1-2 Manchester City
    14.43 %
  • Porto 2-1 Manchester City
    12.85 %
Head to Head
Europa League ‎(EL)‎ 22 Feb 2012 Manchester City 4 - Porto 0
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  • Match Report
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Europa League ‎(EL)‎ 16 Feb 2012 Porto 1 - Manchester City 2
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Last Five Matches
Porto
12 May 2012Rio Ave 2 - Porto 5POR1
5 May 2012Porto 2 - Sporting CP 0POR1
28 Apr 2012Marítimo 0 - Porto 2POR1
21 Apr 2012Porto 3 - Beira-Mar 0POR1
7 Apr 2012Braga 0 - Porto 1POR1
Manchester City
13 May 2012Manchester City 3 - QPR 2EPL
6 May 2012Newcastle United 0 - Manchester City 2EPL
30 Apr 2012Manchester City 1 - Manchester United 0EPL
22 Apr 2012Wolves 0 - Manchester City 2EPL
14 Apr 2012Norwich City 1 - Manchester City 6EPL
Odds
Returns: Porto £610.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Draw £65.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Manchester City £32.00 188bet Sign up with 188BET for a FREE bet up to £25 – Great Prices, Every Game
Team News
Available Squads
1HeltonGoalkeeper
-DaniloDefender
4Maicon Pereira RoqueDefender
5Alvaro PereiraMidfielder
14RolandoDefender
8Lucho GonzálezMidfielder
8Joao MoutinhoMidfielder
19James RodríguezMidfielder
25FernandoMidfielder
12HulkStriker
17Silvestre VarelaStriker
31Rafael Wihby BracalliGoalkeeper
22Eliaquim MangalaDefender
-Alex SandroDefender
7Cristian RodríguezMidfielder
35Steven DefourMidfielder
11Kleber Laube PinheiroStriker
14DjalmaStriker
25Joe HartGoalkeeper
2Micah RichardsDefender
4Vincent KompanyDefender
6Joleon LescottDefender
22Gael ClichyDefender
18Gareth BarryMidfielder
19Samir NasriMidfielder
21David SilvaStriker
34Nigel De JongMidfielder
42Yaya Touré Midfielder
45Mario BalotelliStriker
30Costel PantilimonGoalkeeper
5Pablo ZabaletaDefender
13Aleksandar KolarovDefender
15Stefan SavicDefender
8David PizarroMidfielder
10Edin DzekoStriker
16Kun AgüeroStriker
Players to Watch
James Rodríguez
James Rodríguez
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 19
Games Goals YC RC
2 0 0 0

Many people at City will have highlighted Hulk as Porto's main threat before the game and the bustling Brazilian is likely to cause the Citizen's problems but they would be foolish to overlook the 20-year-old Colombian winger who has been in excellent form this season.

Used sparingly in his debut campaign under Andre Villas-Boas, Rodriguez has flourished in a wide-left position this season and is Porto's top scorer in the League, chalking up nine domestic goals so far. The former Banfield youngster is just as dangerous setting up his team-mates and City's right side will have to be alert to counter the his threat.

Mario Balotelli
Mario Balotelli
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 45
Games Goals YC RC
3 1 1 0

The young striker is often a walking tabloid headline but the Italian is hugely talented and has looked to do a bit more talking on the pitch this season, already hitting double figures for goals so far.

City have been inconsistent so far in 2012 and interestingly Balotelli has played just twice since the turn of the year. With Carlos Tevez's return set to add to the already fierce competition for places up front at the Etihad Stadium, 'Super Mario' will be keen to stake his place for the Citizen's with this game possibly being the perfect platform.

Prediction
Porto have been excellent at home this season but are yet to face a team with the attacking potency of City, and are likely to be stretched to the limit by the pace and skill of Roberto Mancini's front-line.

Both side's will be disappointed to be out of the Champions League but are likely to see the Europa League as a good opportunity to pick up some silverware so expect a tense game with neither side wanting to lose the game before the second leg at the Etihad Stadium just six days later. An away goal for the Citizen's will be huge.
Editor's Prediction
Porto 1
Manchester City 1
Results
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Adrián Adrián
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Fernando Llorente Torres Fernando Llorente Torres
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Bilbao 		7 2
Jonatan Ezequiel Cristaldo Jonatan Ezequiel Cristaldo
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Metalist Kharki 		7 0