FC Porto restarts its European season with an incredible 22-game unbeaten run and hopes to keep the streak going away to Inter Milan.
Bookmaker William Hill has the odds at 2.05 for Porto’s streak to continue and the game to end with either a draw or an away victory.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: February 21st, 8:00 A.M. (EST)
Porto started their run in October after dropping a tight battle at home against Benfica 1-0. They have won each of their last 10 outings across all competitions, scoring 22 goals and conceding only twice. Inter is the odds-on favorite in the match-up but this definitely won’t be an easy night at the office for Simone Inzaghi and his men.
A rock-solid defense, led by the evergreen Pepe, has been the backbone of Porto’s success, but the team is also full of Brazilian flair in attack and manager Sergio Conceicao has found a very effective way to play with Mehdi Taremi leading the line.
Taremi, who has scored 20 goals in 34 games across all competitions this season, is gifted technically and can also hold up the ball well to link up play. He scored the goal of the season a couple of years back in the Champions League with an overhead kick against Chelsea and always seems to relish the European nights. During the group stage this term, the Iranian forward produced five goals and two assists in five games.
Inter has picked up some form as well with only one defeat suffered in 11 outings since the turn of the year. The team has finally found consistency after having a disappointing first half of the season in Serie A.
Inzaghi’s side has always been full of goals but a run of five clean sheets in eight games shows that there’s also been a great improvement at the back. Winning tight games has become Porto’s specialty and Inter has to show on Wednesday that they are also capable of playing a smart tactical game.
The teams meet in European action for the fifth time, and amazingly, all the previous meetings were in one year, back in 2005. Inter won both of their home outings and Porto managed one win and one draw in the clashes. They would likely be happy with a draw again Wednesday as this is only the first leg of the match-up, but Conceicao’s men definitely can’t relax and sit back too much if Inter comes out with high energy and intensity.
