There’s no escaping the main premise of this preview: two teams with very different strengths living diametrically opposite moments. Porto club came from a moral victory at home, while Santa Clara did not win in 18 matches and experienced the worst moment in history in the first division.

At this point in the tournament, Conceicao said, the games have a “larger dimension” Catarina Morais / Kapta +

Having said that, the context is very favorable for the Dragons who, in addition to surviving the fight for the title, see the Azores increasingly sinking down the table (recently ranked in the tournament, with 15 points) and filled with uncertainty.

Despite this, the scenario of the last round – completely different, it should be noted – ended in a surprising draw for Santa Clara, which should serve as a warning for Sergio Conceicao. In addition to this slide in the Azores, the blue and white coach still has two headaches on his mind: Taremi and Grujic are suspended and Joao Mario is injured again, so Manava must again take his place in the 11.

Changes and headache

In midfield, Eustáquio is expected to return to number 11 with Porto, so, in attack, Toni Martínez is the strongest candidate to take the title, not least because Evanilson is still somewhat unstable in physical terms.

On the other hand, Ascioli also continues many headaches: Paolo Henrique and Mezao are suspended, while Igor Nogueira is in doubt – right ankle injury. For their places, MT, Bruno Almeida and Ítalo Assis should take charge.

The dice are rolled, and despite the date, the moment, and the difference in powers, Santa Clara has a unique opportunity to cry out for survival. On the Porto side, nepotism is undeniable, and Sergio Conceicao certainly won’t want to repeat the slip in Round 11.