Playing in what many describe as the UEFA Champions League’s weakest group, Group D headliners Schalke and FC Porto will open their 2018/19 campaigns against one another. Because of the weakness of the group from an overall standpoint, this match could potentially determine which club ends the group stage campaign atop the table.
Schalke and Porto Face Off in Champions League Opener
Porto Enter Champions League With Topsy-Turvy Form
Opening their 2018/19 campaign with a victory in the Portuguese Super Cup, Porto began their league campaign with two wins from two matches. Defeating their three opponents by a combined score of 11-3 in those matches, the defending Portuguese champions looked set to continue their dominance on home soil.
However, that dominance has quickly come unravelled. Suffering a shock defeat to Vitória de Guimarães on the third matchday of the league season, Porto have now gone 1-1-1 in their last three competitive matches. For a club like Porto, this is a worrying sign, to say the least.
Magnifying these worries is the fact that Porto’s topsy-turvy form comes right before they kick off their Champions League campaign against German side FC Schalke. While the Portuguese club could easily return to form in this match, Schalke will be no pushover and likely represent the club’s toughest opponent of the campaign.
Will Schalke’s Domestic Struggles Continue into Europe?
While Porto have had their struggles so far this season, it pales in comparison to that of Schalke’s. Opening their campaign with a win in their first competitive match – a 2-0 win over fourth-tier side FC Schweinfurt in the first round of the DFB-Pokal – their recent run of form in the league can only be described as downright scary.
Opening their league season with a loss to Wolfsburg, Schalke followed this up with a home defeat against a visiting Hertha Berlin. Capping off their awful run of form to open the campaign, Schalke suffered a 2-1 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Making matter’s potentially worse is the fact that Schalke have only scored two goals in three league matches, while also conceding two goals in each match. Even in their win over FC Schweinfurt, Schalke needed a late second-half own goal to finally put to bed the contest against the fourth tier side. Without a doubt, Schalke enter the Champions League with worries aplenty.
Key Players
Yacine Brahimi Must Continue to Lead Porto Attack
Lacking two of their top forward players due to injury, winger Yacine Brahimi has quickly become Porto’s best attacking player. Netting three goals in five matches so far this season, Brahimi will need to continue his fine form going forward if the Portuguese club are to truly make a run in this year’s Champions League.
Playing out on the wing, Brahimi will be looked towards and both an attacker and a creator in this match. If the Algerian can find a way to lead this team in the attack, Porto should have an extremely good shot at victory, especially against a side currently struggling as much as Schalke.
Another player to keep an eye on in this match will be goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The former Real Madrid star will undoubtedly be the man at the back for these matches. Likely being called upon to make a save at least once in this match, the outcome could quite possibly come down to whether or not Casillas can once again become the star that he once was.
Schalke Look to Guido Burgstaller to Get Back on Track
Finding the back of the net 13 times in 29 appearances last season, Guido Burgstaller was the leading goalscorer for FC Schalke during the 2017/18 campaign. Unfortunately for the German club, Burgstaller and the rest of the players at the club have struggled mightily to find the back of the net.
In fact, the club has only combined to score four goals in four competitive matches, one of which was an own goal by the opponent. Struggling for form across the club as a whole, it will likely be down to Guido Burgstaller to get The Miners back on track this season. A great place to start would off course be this upcoming Champions League fixture.
Also worth keeping an eye on in this match is former Spurs defensive midfielder Nabil Bentaleb. Scoring two of Schalke’s three actual goals this season, the Algerian will be looked towards to once again create chances for the German side. If both he and Burgstaller and do just that, Schalke may finally be able to get their season back on track.
Prediction
Arguably the best sides in Group D, these two sides should easily coast into the Champions League knockout stages. However, while both clubs should find a way to progress from the group stage, this opening match could go a long way towards determining just which side will top the group.
While both clubs enter the match lacking in form, Porto arguably look to be the better side at the present. That said, don’t count out Schalke as they should be the more talented of the two. However, considering their abysmal start to the campaign, there are doubts about the German side. Look for Porto to win this match in a closer than the scoreline indicates type of fashion.
Prediction: Schalke 0-2 FC Porto
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