It is widely assumed that a European nation will win the Club World Cup, but Brazil’s four representatives do not intend to merely make up the numbers. Palmeiras are aiming to deliver a statement on Sunday.
Porto are a solid side, though, so this game feels like one which could go either way. Who will come out on top in this Group A clash?
Palmeiras vs Porto best bets
Palmeiras vs Porto odds
Find the latest Palmeiras vs Porto betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.
Palmeiras vs Porto predictions
In many of the Club World Cup groups, it is easy enough to predict the final ranking. That is not the case in Group A.
Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly and Inter Miami – four teams from four different confederations – will all have designs on a top-two finish.
Al Ahly and Inter Miami get the tournament under way at 1am BST on Sunday, before Palmeiras and Porto complete matchday one in Group A 22 hours later.
While you could make a case for any side winning this section, Palmeiras and Porto are the two favourites. The bookies list the Portuguese outfit at the shortest odds, but there is not much between the Lusaphone pair.
There is an obvious incentive to top the group, as the runner-up in this segment is likely to end up facing Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16.
That makes this match vital; Palmeiras and Porto do not have the luxury of being able to ease themselves into the tournament.
Palmeiras booked their spot in the USA by winning the 2021 Copa Libertadores (they were also South American champions in 2020).
Unusually in the trigger-happy and turbulent world of Brazilian football, Abel Ferreira is still in charge of the club four years on. Meanwhile five of the 11 players that started against Flamengo in the 2021 final remain on Palmeiras’s books.
Ferreira’s side were runners-up in the Brazilian league last season and are currently fourth in the table, so the threat they pose should be taken seriously.
As the UEFA representatives, the pressure is on Porto. Palmeiras will not be short of motivation as they attempt to take a European scalp, and Porto must match their opponents’ desire and determination.
They head to the tournament on the back of a disappointing domestic season in which Porto finished third in the Primeira Liga and changed their manager halfway through.
They were also eliminated from the Europa League in the knockout phase play-offs, so Palmeiras should not fear Porto.
“The most special thing is that it (Palmerias’ first opponent) is a Portuguese club,” Ferreira told FIFA.com. “I know that they’re an extremely fierce, competitive opponent. If there’s one thing I really like, it’s never giving up and always fighting to the very end.”
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Palmeiras vs Porto betting tips
Palmeiras face Porto on the first weekend of action at the new-look Club World Cup.
Draw
Palmeiras are known to be a tactically flexible side and that will stand them in good stead at this competition.
Against Al Ahly and Inter Miami, they will probably dominate possession. Against Porto, they may have to shift to a counter-attacking game plan.
It is difficult to compare clubs across different leagues and continents, but Palmeiras should give Porto a tougher game than most Portuguese sides.
Martin Anselmi’s men will need to show they are prepared to dig in when they need to, but if they do that they should be able to get something from this match.
All things considered, neither Anselmi nor Ferreira would be overly disappointed with a draw on matchday one.
⚽ Go for a draw at 11/5 with Spreadex ⚽
Under 2.5 goals
Each team will be sufficiently wary of the other to prevent this being an open, end-to-end encounter.
A defeat in their first match would leave either Palmeiras or Porto on the back foot, a fate both managers would rather avoid.
There may also be a few nerves on the opening weekend, especially from the Palmeiras players who will be desperate to catch the eye.
It is hard to see either side running away with this one. Our view is that there will only ever be a maximum of one goal between the two teams.
Overall, there is a good chance that goals will be at a premium at the MetLife Stadium.
⚽ Back under 2.5 goals at 8/13 with Tote ⚽
Estevao to score any time
Estevao only has a few more weeks remaining as a Palmeiras player, with the teenage starlet set to join Chelsea this summer.
Supporters of the Blues will be watching the 18-year-old with interest – and they are bound to like what they see.
Even at his formative age, Estevao is a well-rounded attacker. He has been likened to Lionel Messi in his homeland, and while that might be a stretch his ability is clear for all to see.
The wide man scored 15 goals last season and he is already on 11 for the 2025 campaign. Four of those strikes have come in the Copa Libertadores.
Now Estevao is striving to make his mark on the Club World Cup, starting with this game against Porto.
⚽ Choose Estevao as an anytime scorer at 11/4 with Betfred ⚽
📺 How to watch Palmeiras vs Porto
- Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, USA.
- Date and time: Sunday 15th June, 11pm.
- How to watch: DAZN.
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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