Nottingham Forest are facing a difficult task on Thursday, as they travel to face Portuguese league leaders FC Porto away from home in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
FC Porto can be considered one of the favourites for this competition, with the Portuguese hosts looking to utilise home advantage in the first leg. FC Porto are unbeaten at home in their respective domestic division with 11 wins from 14, three draws. In Europe, their home form has carried over, with the Dragons winning all five of their home European ties, scoring 12 and only conceding three. Porto have scored 2.4 goals per game at home in Europe this season, with Over 2.5 goals landing in five of their last six matches in all competitions heading into this fixture.
Vitor Pereira's first match in charge of Nottingham Forest took place in the Europa League, as his Forest side recorded a 3-0 win against Fenerbahce away from home. However, since that win, the Reds have gone winless in their next six matches in all competitions, with their form recovering before the international break with a 3-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur. The former Wolves manager has produced only two wins inside 90 minutes of play as Forest boss. Nottingham Forest have already faced Portuguese opposition in the Europa League, as they suffered a 1-0 defeat away at Sporting Braga with Morgan Gibbs-White missing a penalty, and a minute later, Ryan Yates converted into his own net.
FC Porto will be difficult to overcome away from home for Nottingham Forest. The Dragons have been formidable at home, and we believe this will continue here.
FC Porto 3-1 Nottingham Forest
