Porto v Santa Clara: leaders host improving mid-table side | OneFootball

Porto face Santa Clara in Liga Portugal at the Estádio Do Dragão on 16 May 2026, with the hosts looking to strengthen their lead at the top and the visitors aiming to finish on a high.

Porto sit first on 85 points and have not lost at home this season. They have dominated this fixture, winning 14 of the last 17 meetings in all competitions, including a 1-0 victory away in January. Santa Clara arrive 12th on 36 points.

Recent momentum is mixed for the leaders, who have three wins, one draw and one defeat across their last five games. Santa Clara have gathered pace, unbeaten in their last four with wins over Braga and Nacional plus draws at Casa Pia and Arouca.

Francesco Farioli is without Luuk de Jong, Nehuén Pérez, Martim Fernandes and leading league scorer Samu Aghehowa, who has 13 goals. That removes a key focal point in attack for the hosts. Santa Clara have no listed absences in the provided information.

Season trends point to control versus resilience. Porto have scored 65 and conceded only 18, keeping 20 clean sheets with 55% possession and 84.73% passing accuracy. Santa Clara average one goal per game and have 10 clean sheets with 48% of the ball. The leaders may look to assert territory and use deliveries, while the visitors could target a compact shape and counters.

A home win would move Porto to 88 points and further cement their position at the summit. Three points for Santa Clara would take them to 39 and could lift them up the table into the crowded mid-table pack.