Porto should outfox Leicester

This is a fascinating section with all four teams presumably delighted that they have managed to avoid the heavyweights.

Porto’s pedigree could be the deciding factor given the two-time European Cup winners are playing in their sixth straight Champions League group.

There is no doubt this is far from a vintage Porto side but they did well to qualify by beating Roma in the playoff round and were leading away to the Italians even before two red cards in the second leg.

Bookmakers expect Premier League champions Leicester to reach the knockout stages safely but it may not be that simple with Saturday’s 4-1 league defeat at Liverpool showing their vulnerability at the highest level.

This will be only the fourth time Leicester have played in a European competition – the Foxes have played only eight continental matches in their history and the last win was in 1961 against Northern Ireland’s Glenavon.

At least Leicester can call upon the experience of their manager Claudio Ranieri, but the shock English champions will be seen as a prized scalp by all their Group G opponents.

The Foxes’ old tactics of sitting back and playing on the counter may not be as easy against opponents wise to the approach.

Club Brugge were Europa League quarter-finalists in 2015 and Copenhagen did well enough in the qualifiers to suggest the last 16 is no formality for Leicester.

Recommendation
Porto
1pt 13-10 Paddy Power