Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
AS Roma have been in much better form since Claudio Ranieri returned to the dugout, but their away performances remain a major concern. Facing Porto at the Estádio do Dragão will be another tough test, especially as the Portuguese side are adjusting to a new manager and doing everything they can to remain competitive in this European campaign.
Porto
A disastrous start to 2025 saw Porto suffer four consecutive defeats, leading to a rift between the squad and former boss Vítor Bruno and ultimately his dismissal. Since January, they have won just once (1:0 against Maccabi Tel Aviv), and their late January sales of Wenderson Galeno and Nico González significantly weakened their attacking options. In their most recent league fixture, Porto scraped a 1:1 draw with Sporting, salvaging a point only in stoppage time.
AS Roma
Despite an overall improvement under Claudio Ranieri, Roma’s away struggles persist. Out of 17 away matches this season, they have won just two—although both came in their last three trips. Their latest win, a 1:0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Venezia, was far from convincing, as they managed just 1.11 xG from open play. In the Europa League, Roma have seen under 2.5 goals in six of their eight matches during the group stage.
Porto vs AS Roma Prediction
This fixture has the feel of a Champions League-level clash, but both teams are in a rough patch. With Porto lacking firepower after their key departures and Roma’s well-documented struggles away from home, a low-scoring encounter is highly likely.
