Preview: Palmeiras vs Porto - prediction, team news, lineups

One of Brazil’s biggest clubs will tackle Portuguese royalty in their first 2025 FIFA Club World Cup fixture, as Palmeiras meet Porto on Sunday.

Set to clash in New Jersey, the Sao Paulo side qualified as winners of the 2021 Copa Libertadores while their opponents finished fifth in UEFA’s four-year rankings.

Match preview

Following an intense period of success, in which they were twice crowned national champions after lifting South America’s top prize in consecutive seasons, Palmeiras are hungry for more silverware this summer.

The Alviverde ultimately finished runners-up in the 2024 Brasileiro, as Botafogo beat them to first place in Serie A last term, but they are still one of Brazil’s best contenders for the new-look Club World Cup.

Expectation is high that the Sao Paulo club can get through Group A, which also features Al Ahly and Inter Miami, before going deep into the knockout phase at the USA-hosted finals.

In this year’s Copa Libertadores, Palmeiras cruised through their group with a game to spare: posting five straight wins to kick off their quest to regain the trophy, they were the only team not to trail during the first phase.

Abel Ferreira’s side also went on an eight-match winning streak in the Brasileiro, during which they kept seven clean sheets, but back-to-back defeats - the latter against title rivals Flamengo - have since seen them slip to fourth place.

Now making a third appearance at FIFA’s top club tournament, the Alviverde aim to go one step further than their previous best performance, losing 2-1 to Chelsea in the final three years ago.

In their Group A opener, they will target a first Brazilian CWC victory over European opposition since the 2012 final, as teams from Brazil and former colonisers Portugal clash at intercontinental level for the very first time.

While Palmeiras boast recent experience, this is Porto’s first appearance at the Club World Cup, though they did participate in the Intercontinental Cup as European champions - in 1987 and again in 2004.

The Portuguese giants lifted the trophy on both occasions, but prospects of overall glory in this summer’s tournament seem slim.

Again failing to challenge for the title, Porto finished third in the Portuguese Primeira Liga last term, repeating their finish from 2023-24.

That marked the first time the northern club had failed to place inside the league’s top two in consecutive seasons since the mid 1970s, as the Lisbon clubs instead fought it out for Portugal’s top prizes.

After lifting the Super Cup last August, the Dragons stumbled in their defence of the Taca de Portugal, crashing out in the fourth round, before losing in the League Cup semi-finals and the Europa League's knockout playoffs.

So, Martin Anselmi’s men may start as underdogs against Palmeiras, perhaps making subsequent games against Inter Miami and Egyptian heavyweights Al Ahly decisive in who will go through.

Palmeiras form (all competitions): W W W L W L

Porto form (all competitions): L W W W W L

Team News

One of several Portuguese coaches currently working in Brazil, Palmeiras boss Abel Ferreira will soon lose rising star Estevao to Chelsea, but the three-time South American champions have invested heavily in their squad.

Several men who took part in the last set of World Cup qualifiers belatedly joined the Alviverde’s camp, so captain Gustavo Gomez, Richard Rios, Piquerez, Emiliano Martinez, Facundo Torres and Estevao should all be available.

Still aged just 17, the latter has created 24 chances in Brazil’s Serie A so far this season - more than double the amount of any teammate - after racking up a league-leading 24 goal involvements last year.

Former Bayer Leverkusen winger Paulinho is doubtful for the opening game due to a delay in his recovery from shin surgery, so Torres, Felipe Anderson, Raphael Veiga and highly-rated Mauricio are all competing for selection in support of Argentine striker Jose Manuel Lopez.

Meanwhile, Porto’s attack is led by Spanish striker Samu Aghehowa, who averaged a goal every 119 minutes in the Primeira Liga last season.

Teenage talent Rodrigo Mora scored seven times in his last nine appearances and was called up to Portugal’s senior squad; his near namesake, wing-back Francisco Moura, set up 10 top-flight strikes in the 2024-25 campaign.

New signing Gabri Veiga is also available after returning from his sojourn in Saudi Arabia, but Marko Grujic was left out of the squad as he works his way back from a hamstring injury; Tiago Djalo is still absent for disciplinary reasons.

Palmeiras possible starting lineup: Weverton; Giay, Gomez, Murilo; Allan, Rios, Martinez, Piquerez; Estevao, Torres; Lopez

Porto possible starting lineup: Costa; Perez, Pedro, Marcano; Mario, Varela, Eustaquio, Moura; Veiga, Mora; Omorodion

EXPERT ANALYSIS

Diego Iwata - Palmeiras expert, live from New Jersey:

One of the strongest clubs in Brazil, Palmeiras has been collecting regional, national and continental trophies in recent years. 

Abel Ferreira knows his squad like no-one else and has been with the club since 2020 - an impressive milestone for Brazilian football. In 11 rounds of this year’s Brasileiro, we have already had eight coaching changes.

Palmeiras are expected to qualify for the next round, and the game against Porto is highly anticipated to be a good contest. The Alviverde are a strong team defensively, with a direct style of play and aggressive without the ball.

As Porto had a season below expectations, a Palmeiras victory would not be a surprise for the Brazilian public.

We say: Palmeiras 2-1 Porto

Palmeiras are treating this competition very seriously, while Porto are more focused on rebuilding for the challenges ahead.

Given a solid platform and some sparkling talent up front, the Brazilians should get off to a winning start and leave their Portuguese counterparts with ground to make up.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

Written by
Jonathan O'Shea

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