A 1-0 victory at home over Malaga had Porto well on their way to the next round in the Champions League, but unfortunately for Vitor Pereira's side, everything came undone in the return leg. Poor play and a red card for Belgian midfielder Defour helped the Spanish side progress with a 2-0 victory.
With that match behind them, Porto will now need to focus on Maritimo, who has proven to be a tough team to play at the Estadio dos Barreiros.
You have to go all the way back to October 28th, when Braga defeated Pedro Martins' side at home. Since then, the Madeirenses have three wins and four draws in their home stadium for the domestic league. Their last match, which happened to be away to Braga, ended a streak of four matches where they had won three out of four.
On Sunday, both teams will be looking to get back in the win column, but for Porto, the three points are much more important.
The Dragoes will take the field before Benfica, who is in first place by two points, so a victory for Vitor Pereira's side could put pressure on the Aguias. Failure to claim the full three points could see Benfica distance themselves, something Porto would not enjoy, considering the Portuguese title is a top priority.
"We were only able to take advantage of one day off," Porto's manager told the press.
"The exit from the Champions League leaves us upset considering it was one of our priorities and we were unable to keep that going. We also know that we have a league title to win, and we really want to reclaim the title. We work hard to accomplish that and our next match is very important. It is on that match where we need to shift all our attention. With character and focus, we need to take on Maritimo and show that we do in fact, want to reclaim the title."
Knowing that Maritimo has enjoyed a positive run at home as of late, and a victory could see them climb into a European spot, Vitor Pereira will not take anything for granted.
Pedro Martins is also aware that Porto will be out to continue their good run of form in the league, so his players will need to make sure they are up for this match.
"Assuming that we are favorites would be very arrogant of us," said Martins. "Porto will arrive fully concentrated, knowing how important this match is."
"We are aware of their potential, of which, along with Benfica, they are the strongest team in the league, but I hope my team is confident enough to cause Porto problems."
Not having to deal with Joao Moutinho will be a positive for Maritimo. The Portuguese international was not called up for this match due to what appears to be an injury, but Vitor Pereira chose not to comment on his players absence.
Porto most recently struggled at the Estadio de Alvalade without their midfielder, as they did away to Malaga. Being without him at the Estadio dos Barreiros could spell trouble for the Dragoes.
Previous Meetings
11-02-12 Porto 5-0 Maritimo
04-28-12 Maritimo 0-2 Porto
12-17-11 Porto 2-0 Maritimo
05-14-11 Maritimo 0-2 Porto
01-08-11 Porto 4-1 Maritimo
04-03-10 Porto 4-1 Maritimo
Prediction
Maritimo's first meeting with Porto this season did not go so well, having left the Estadio do Dragao with a 5-0 defeat. James Rodriguez and Jackson Martinez both had a brace in the match, while Silvestre Varela also added a goal before halftime.
All three players will be available on Sunday, but Joao Moutinho will not. Although the Porto number eight did not score in that match, and has not scored very often in the domestic league, he is a big part of this Porto team. He not only helps on the offensive side of the ball, but he is tireless and relentless when it comes to forcing opponents into errors.
Fernando and Lucho Gonzlaez will most likely start the match, but a third option could see Vitor Pereira trying to choose between Defour, James Rodriguez or even Marat Izmaylov. With James having played against Malaga, it would appear that the Colombian is finally ready to come back into the side.
For Maritimo, Sami and David Simao will be looking to cause problems for a Porto defense that has only conceded 10 goals in the current campaign. The 24-year-old striker has three goals this season, with his latest goal coming just a few weeks ago against Academica. Meanwhile, David Simao who is a midfielder, has netted four goals for the insulares this season.
Although Maritimo has been consistently earning at least a point at home as of late, their record when Porto comes to town is not very flattering. The hosts have only won once in their last six meetings at the Barreiros, so trying to claim the full three points will be a very difficult task.
Porto will want to come out and dictate the pace of the game, knowing that they need to win. If Maritimo can somehow weather the the storm early on and build some confidence and belief in themselves, they could well steal a point.
Maritimo 1-2 Porto
