This Tuesday, Arsenal will play host to FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League second match aggregate battle.
THE PAST
FC Porto is basically the Man U or Real Madrid of Portugal and the club has won 24 league titles in their existence. In fact the team has recently had such a nice run that the last time they didn’t win the league title was in 2004/2005. And when it comes to tournaments the Portuguese squad doesn’t exactly disappoint either. FC Porto has won the domestic cup 18 different times and the Champions League title twice. The last time the club won the honor was in 2004 when Jose Mourinho was the coach. It was his last year in Portugal before heading to Chelsea.
THE PRESENT
FC Porto is having a very strange season considering that they are currently in third place in their league and 11points back from first place Benfica. The club does have one great offensive performer in Radamel Falcao who has 17 goals this season in league play, but the club has given up 8 more goals then the first place squad has on defense. Allowing nearly a goal a game in domestic play will likely not bode well down the road for the club.
THE PREDICTION
Originally I liked Arsenal’s chances of beating the Portuguese squad, but injuries and poor form on defense have me second guessing that pick. My prediction before the series began saw Arsenal winning 4-2, but the club really played poorly in that first match and Fabregas has already been scratched from the lineup too. With no Fabregas that will put a serious dent in Arsenal’s attack game and with that bizarre, lazy Campbell play last match that will likely not help their chances of winning, but I did pick Arsenal to win and even though things are working against the squad I still think they will find a way to win this week.
