Roma v Porto: Champions League betting preview, tip and TV details

Home advantage can help Roma seize the initiative

Roma's creative spark Nicolo ZanioloCredit: Paolo Bruno

BT Sport 3, 8pm Tuesday

There is a disconnect between Roma's players and supporters but the Curva Sud ultras could be celebrating a Champions League win over Porto at Stadio Olimpico in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

A section of fans walked out in the first half of the recent 1-1 draw with Milan in protest at the performance a few days earlier when Roma were humiliated 7-1 by Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia and Daniele De Rossi admitted there is a fracture which needs repairing.

That could happen in the Champions League, a competition which was good to Roma as they reached the semi-finals last season, and as De Rossi also pointed out his teammates have played reasonably well apart from the Florence farce.

Roma deserved to beat Milan, who had goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma to thank for the point, and were easy 3-0 winners at Chievo on Friday.

Eusebio Di Francesco's side have lost only once in Serie A since December and that was 1-0 at champions Juventus.

Edin Dzeko has returned to goalscoring form and teenage talent Nicolo Zaniolo is the player who can provide Roma with a spark against a Porto side missing two important starters in Jesus Corona and Moussa Marega.

There has been a reliance on five-goal Marega in the Champions League and it could be argued Porto don't get tested on a regular basis domestically, although they have still lost in the league at Benfica.

That is the same Benfica who have been hapless in the Champions League for the past two campaigns, while Porto's soft group containing Schalke, Galatasaray and Lokomotiv Moscow was not ideal preparation for this much tougher examination.

Recommendation
Roma
1pt 11-10 general

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