With a spot in the Europa League last 16 up for grabs, Portuguese heavyweights Porto and Serie A outfit Roma will square off in the first leg of their playoff showdown on Thursday.
Porto narrowly dodged an early elimination, scraping through to the playoffs as one of 16 teams positioned between ninth and 24th in the Europa League's final league-phase standings. Their tense 1-0 victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv on the last matchday proved crucial—had they settled for a draw, they would have been leapfrogged by fellow Portuguese side Braga and shown the exit door.
Newly appointed boss Martín Anselmi, fresh from his stint at Cruz Azul, made an immediate impact, guiding the Dragons to success on his debut in the dugout, helping them bounce back from a deflating home defeat to Olympiacos just a week earlier.
In terms of history, Porto hold the upper hand, having eliminated Roma in all three of their previous encounters—first in the 1981-82 Cup Winners' Cup, then in the 2016-17 Champions League qualifiers, and most recently in the Champions League last 16 six years ago.
Much like their opponents, Roma have struggled to hit top gear domestically, currently ninth in Serie A despite grinding out a 1-0 victory over Venezia on Sunday. They also recently crashed out of the Coppa Italia, adding to their frustrations.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch FC Porto vs Roma online - TV channels & live streams
 | Fubo | Watch here |
 | Paramount+ | Watch here |
 | DirecTV Stream | Watch here |
 | UniMás | Watch here |
 | TUDN | Watch here |
 | ViX | Watch here |
 | CBS Sports Network | Watch here |
In the United States (US), the Europa League match between Porto and Roma will be available to watch and stream online live through Fubo, Paramount+, DirecTV Stream, UniMas, TUDN, ViX (with Sling TV), and CBS Sports Network.
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
FC Porto vs Roma kick-off time
The UEFA Europa League match between Porto and Roma will be played at Estadio do Dragao in Porto, Portugal.
It will kick off at 3:00 pm ET/12:00 pm PT on Thursday, February 13, in the US.
Team news & squads
FC Porto vs Roma lineups
3-4-2-1
Formation
3-4-2-1
ROMPOR-Line up
PORSubstitutes
Manager
M. Anselmi
ROM-Line up
ROMSubstitutes
Manager
C. Ranieri
Injuries and Suspended players
Injuries and Suspensions
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
FC Porto team news
Since his arrival, Anselmi has favored a three-man defense, and that approach is expected to continue against a Roma side that also deploys a similar setup. Diogo Costa is set to start between the sticks, operating behind a 3-4-2-1 formation.
The hosts remain without Iván Marcano, Marko Grujić, and Martim Fernandes, all sidelined through injury. Additionally, they can no longer rely on Nico González, who netted the winner in their final league-phase match before securing a move to Manchester City.
Up front, Samu Aghehowa may be enduring a six-game goal drought, but the Spanish forward has already found the net five times in this season’s Europa League. Meanwhile, teenage sensation Rodrigo Mora could be called upon to provide attacking support.
At the back, Brazilian defender Otávio is available again after serving a suspension, which could see Zé Pedro make way in the starting lineup.
Roma team news
On the disciplinary front, Danny Namaso will be walking a tightrope, as another booking would see him miss the return leg. The same applies to Roma duo Mats Hummels and Alexis Saelemaekers, who must tread carefully.
Both Saelemaekers and Leandro Paredes were rested at the weekend but are expected to return, along with midfielder Manu Koné, who sat out the Venezia clash due to suspension.
New signings Devyne Rensch and Victor Nelsson are available for selection, but fellow January arrivals Lucas Gourna-Douath and Anass Salah-Eddine have been left out of Roma's UEFA squad.
Form
POR-Form
PORFC Porto
1
-
1
Sporting CP
D
Rio Ave
2
-
2
FC Porto
D
Maccabi Tel Aviv
0
-
1
FC Porto
W
FC Porto
1
-
1
Santa Clara
D
FC Porto
0
-
1
Olympiacos
L
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 5/5
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 1/5
- Both teams scored
- 3/5
ROM-Form
ROM- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 7/5
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 2/5
- Both teams scored
- 3/5
Head-to-Head Record
PORLast 5 matches
ROM2
Wins
2
Draws
1
Win
Goals scored
4- Games over 2.5 goals
- 2/5
- Both teams scored
- 3/5