Club Brugge will look to continue their record-breaking run in the UEFA Champions League this Wednesday when they welcome FC Porto to Jan Breydel Stadion.
Venue: Jan Breydel Stadion (Brugge)
Key Statistics
Club Brugge have not conceded a goal in the UEFA Champions League group stage this season. They are the only side yet to do that.
The hosts have lost just one of their last 15 home games in all competitions (W12, D3).
They have kept five clean sheets in their last five home games.
FC Porto are unbeaten in their last four away games (W3, D1).
They have won their last three away games without conceding a goal.
The visitors have conceded two goals in their last seven games, keeping five clean sheets.
Head to head
FC Porto have three wins in five meetings between both sides. Club Brugge have two wins against the Portuguese side.
Latest performances in all competitions
Club Brugge: D-W-W-D-L
FC Porto: L-W-W-W-W
Club Brugge
After another disappointing outing in the Belgian Pro League, Belgian side Club Brugge will turn their attention to the Champions League where they are enjoying their best-ever start to a UCL campaign.
The Belgian club have enjoyed a remarkable run in the UCL this year and come into this tie with participation in the knockout round guaranteed. Having started the campaign with three straight wins, they booked their place in the next round with a goalless draw against Atletico Madrid last time out.
The result ensured that after three decades of frustration, and nine attempts at qualifying from the group stages, Club Brugge will be mixing with the continent’s biggest teams next year. Brugge now need just one point in this match against second-placed Porto to secure first place in Group B and home advantage against a group runner-up for the last 16’s second-leg fixtures.
However, away from Europe, the hosts have not enjoyed the best campaign in the domestic league. Their most recent 2-2 draw with Royale union SG means that the Blauw-Zwart are now eight points behind Genk in the Belgian Pro League title race.
But having thrashed Porto 4-0 on their own patch earlier in the campaign, they will come into this tie confident of another positive result, and many will expect another clean sheet if they do, with Brugge now the only side left in the competition yet to concede a goal.
Possible Club Brugge starting line-up
Simon Mignolet; Denis Odoi, Brandon Mechele, Abakar Sylla; Andreas Skov Olsen, Raphael Onyedika, Casper Nielsen, Hans Vanaken, Tajlon Buchanan; Roman Yaremchuk, Ferran Jutgla.
Injured: Mats Rits, Clinton Mata, Cyler Larin
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Kamal Sowah
FC Porto
Porto will be looking to make it three wins in three UCL games when they travel to Brugge on Wednesday.
After beginning their UCL campaign with two disappointing losses against Atletico Madrid (2-1) and Club Brugge (4-0), the visitors bounced back in the third and fourth rounds as they recorded back-to-back wins against Bayer Leverkusen.
The pair of wins put their chances of qualifying from this difficult group back on track as they come into this tie sitting in second place, four points behind their hosts and two ahead of the closest challengers Atletico Madrid. With a return leg against the Spanish club to come in the last group round, Porto can make sure they go into that fixture with their UCL destiny in their hands by winning this game.
A win here and a win for Atletico in their game against Leverkusen will mean that they will only need a draw at home next week to qualify for the next round. While a win for them and a draw or loss for Atletico will seal their progression into the next round.
Regardless of the permutations involved, the visitors will be desperate for a win in this game to ensure that they book their place in the knockout stages after missing out last season when they finished third in their group behind Liverpool and Atletico Madrid. Their 1-0 loss to Benfica at the weekend will also boost their desperation as they are now fighting to reclaim some pride this season after falling six points behind in the title race.
Given that they have won their last three away games while they are unbeaten in their last four away games, they will fancy their chances of getting a fourth consecutive away win.
Possible Porto starting line-up
Diogo Costa; Rodrigo Conceicao, Fabio Cardoso, David Carmo, Wendell; Mateus Uribe, Otavio, Stephen Eustaquio, Wenderson Galeno; Mehdi Taremi, Evanilson.
Injured: Pepe
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Joao Mario
Prediction
Club Brugge 1-2 Porto
