Our prediction for this Portugal Primeira Liga match:
Porto
Match Time & Date:
30/01/2022
21:30
Prediction: 2-0
Maritimo
Porto will be aiming to move one step closer to regaining Primeira Liga trophy when they host Maritimo to their Estadio do Dragao on Matchday 20. The Dragons are eyeing their 15th consecutive league win, and they are likely to stick to their attacking style of play. Influential attacker Taremi is on international duty with Iran, meaning that Evanilson and Vieira should be deployed up front in the 4-4-2 formation.
Even though midfielder Uribe misses out through suspension, we are tempted to put our money on the high-flying league leaders. Maritimo, on the other hand, have been showing signs of improvement of late, with the team beating the likes of Vizela, Portimonense, and Braga, while sharing the spoils with Belenenses. O Maior das Ilhas, though, have already suffered five defeats on the road this season, which is probably the main reason why we are tempted to put our money on the hosts. Cameroon forward Joel misses out through suspension for the away side.
Highlighted Player (Pepe):
Pepe is a professional footballer who plays for Porto as a defender. The Portuguese international played for Maritimo at the start of his senior career and in 2004 he moved to Porto. After making 64 league appearances for the Dragons, he signed a contract with Real Madrid in 2007 and he quickly established himself as a first-team regular.
Pepe is well known for his hard tackles and referees often show him red card. The Real Madrid centre back often played as a defensive midfielder under Jose Mourinho and it has to be noted that he scored five goals in all competitions in the 2013/2014 La Liga campaign.
The Portuguese footballer won his second Champions League trophy with Real Madrid in the 2015/2016 season and later in 2016 he helped A Selecao win the European Championship trophy. Portugal defeated France in the title game and Pepe played an important role in Fernando Santos’ team in the Euro 2016 final. The Real Madrid defender was born in Maceio, Brazil on 26 February, 1983.
Highlighted Team (Maritimo):
Based in Funchal, Madeira, Maritimo are a Portuguese club that compete in Primeira Liga. O Maior das Ilhas (The Greatest of the Islands) play their home matches in the national championship at Estadio do Maritimo.
The stadium was officially founded on May 5, 1957 and it can hold up to 10,932 spectators. Maritimo won their first and only Campeonato de Portugal in the 1925/1926 season, with the team beating Belenenses in the title game 2-0 at Campo do Ameal. Maritimo wear green shirts with red stripes and white shorts when playing on home soil, whilst the colour of their away kit is sky blue.
The Estadio do Maritimo have yet to win the Taca de Portugal trophy, but they made it to the final of the competition on two occasions (1994/95, 2000/01), as well as the final of the Taca da Liga in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016. Nacional are considered the club’s main rivals.
