Preview: Athletic Bilbao vs. Porto

Porto will attempt to continue their unbeaten start to Group H when they travel to Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League on Wednesday.

The visitors have taken seven points from their three group matches, with that run of form leaving them top of the section and in control of their own fate.

Bilbao, however, have picked up just one point thus far. The Spanish side opened with a goalless draw against Shakhtar Donetsk, but have since suffered back-to-back 2-1 defeats to BATE Borisov and Porto respectively.

Porto's record in Spain is poor, however, with just five wins from 21 matches, with the Portuguese side losing 14 times in the process.

Their last two European campaigns have also ended at the hands of Spanish sides, with defeats to Sevilla and Malaga in each of the last two campaigns.

Porto will enter this match having lost just once in all competitions this season, but Bilbao have won their last two in the league after a run of nine matches without a victory earlier in the campaign.

The home side are expected to be without the services of leading scorer Aritz Aduriz after the Spaniard picked up a hamstring problem in Bilbao's 1-0 win over Sevilla at the weekend.

As a result, Iker Muniain could play through the middle for the Spanish side, with Ibai Gomez coming into the XI in a wide position. Benat is also expected to start in the middle of a midfield three.

Porto, meanwhile, have a number of former and current La Liga players in their squad. On-loan Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro should start, while Cristian Tello and Oliver Torres, on loan from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid respectively, also look likely to be included.

Hector Herrera should also return to the XI after starting the Portuguese club's 2-0 win over Nacional at the weekend on the bench, while Jackson Martinez will operate through the middle.

Recent form

Bilbao: LLDLW

Porto: WLWWW

Possible starting lineups

Bilbao: Iraizoz; Balenziaga, Etxeita, Laporte, De Marcos; Benat, Iturraspe, Rico; Susaeta, Muniain, Ibai

Porto: Fabiano; Danilo, Martins Indi, Maicon, Sandro; Casemiro, Herrera, Brahimi; Tello, Martinez, Torres

Sports Mole says: 1-1