BETTING GUIDE: RED Bull Salzburg Vs FC Porto, match preview, team news and betting guide
Reading Time: 4min | Wed. 24.09.25. | 20:55
With new signing Luuk de Jong still sidelined, Spanish forward Samu Omorodion leads the line. The 20-year-old has already netted four times this season and struck six goals in last year’s Europa League
As the UEFA Europa League group stage matches kick off, all eyes turn to Austria, where Red Bull Salzburg will host FC Porto on Thursday, September 26, 2025.
For Salzburg, this marks a return to the competition after falling short in the Champions League qualifiers.
For Porto, it is a fresh chance to lay down a European marker after a flawless domestic start.
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Salzburg are no strangers to the Europa League.
This is their 12th group stage appearance, and their last campaign was outstanding - six wins from six games, extending their unbeaten group stage record to 15 matches (W11, D4).
However, that level of performance feels distant from their current form.
After a bright start to the 2025/26 Austrian Bundesliga, they are now winless in three matches (D1, L2).
A 0-2 home loss to rivals Sturm Graz exposed both attacking and defensive flaws, following a 3-1 defeat at Wolfsberger and a 2-2 draw against newly promoted Blau-Weiss Linz.
Porto, in contrast, arrives in solid form.
The Portuguese giants are on a six-match winning streak, scoring 15 goals and conceding just once.
Their latest 3-0 away win at Rio Ave underlined their dominance and kept them top of the Primeira Liga.
They have already beaten title contenders Sporting Lisbon and look revitalised under new coach Francesco Fariol
This is Porto’s eighth Europa League campaign.
While they fell to Roma in last season’s knockout playoff, the current squad boasts more depth, hunger, and attacking balance.
Their main weakness lies in the competition’s away record - 10 defeats in their last 17 Europa League road games.
Even so, their historical record against Austrian clubs is excellent: five wins and one draw from six encounters.
Salzburg lost their most recent meeting with a Portuguese side - a 3-1 defeat to Benfica in the 2023 Champions League.
Team news presents challenges for both sides.
Salzburg are without striker Karim Konaté, midfielder John Mellberg, and defender Takumu Kawamura, all sidelined with knee injuries.
Midfield anchor Soumaila Diabate, sent off domestically, remains available in Europe.
Manager Thomas Letsch is expected to revert to his trademark 4-2-2-2 after experimenting unsuccessfully with a 4-2-3-1.
Petar Ratkov, with five goals and an assist, is likely to partner Yorbe Vertessen (four goals) in attack.
Creative supply should come from Maurits Kjaergaard, who has chipped in with a goal and two assists this season.
Porto must cope without Stephen Eustaquio, suspended after a red card against Roma last season, while defenders Alberto Costa and Martim Fernandes remain out.
Pablo Rosario is expected to continue at right-back after scoring at the weekend.
With new signing Luuk de Jong still sidelined, Spanish forward Samu Omorodion leads the line.
The 20-year-old has already netted four times this season and struck six goals in last year’s Europa League.
He will be supported by Alberto Costa, the league’s most creative player with 1.09 assists per 90, alongside Gabri Veiga, Borja Sainz, and Rodrigo Mora providing width and service.
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Tactically, Salzburg thrives on high pressing and rapid transitions, but recent form suggests cracks in their structure.
Injuries have hurt squad depth, and without Konaté’s finishing, their goal output may suffer.
Porto, meanwhile, operates in a flexible 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1.
With Rosario and Francisco Moura covering wide areas and Veiga dictating play, Omorodion has flourished, averaging 0.97 non-penalty goals per 90 - the best in the league.
The Dragons can dominate possession or absorb pressure, giving them tactical versatility that Salzburg may struggle to contain.
Key Pointers
Salzburg have just one win in their last four European fixtures, showing their decline on the continental stage.
The Austrian side enters this clash off two consecutive defeats, raising concerns ahead of their group opener.
Porto are in peak form, winning all six matches across competitions with a 15-1 goal difference.
The Portuguese champions sit top of the Primeira Liga, reflecting their dominant early-season momentum.
Porto’s attack has outperformed metrics, scoring 15 goals from a 12.3 xG.
Prediction
Despite Salzburg’s impressive Europa League group stage pedigree, their current domestic slump and mounting injuries cannot be overlooked.
Porto’s form, depth, and in-form frontline give them the edge, even if their away record in the competition is shaky.
With their organised midfield, clinical attack, and strong momentum, Porto should open their Europa League campaign with a solid away victory, capitalising on a vulnerable Salzburg side.
Prediction: Over 1.5 goals
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