Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Europa League clash between Braga and Red Star Belgrade, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Looking to continue their perfect record in the UEFA Europa League, Braga welcome Red Star Belgrade to Estadio Municipal de Braga on Thursday.
The Archbishops have won both of their opening fixtures to sit third in the league phase standings, while the Serbian visitors, who have managed just one point from two outings, are currently placed 27th on the log.
Match preview
Braga’s campaign has followed contrasting paths in the Primeira Liga and on the continental stage, sparking mixed emotions among the Archbishop faithful after each outing on both fronts.
While the Minho outfit are winless in their last four league matches, including a 1-1 draw away at Sporting Lisbon before the international break, Carlos Vicens’s men have made a flying start to their European journey.
One of just seven teams to have won their opening two fixtures in Europa this season, and among only three yet to concede, Braga began their campaign with a 1-0 home victory over Feyenoord before recording a 2-0 success against Celtic in Glasgow.
Those triumphs stretched the Archbishops’s perfect record in on the continental front to seven matches, a run that includes an extra-time triumph over Levski Sofia and double victories home and away against CFR Cluj and Lincoln Red Imps in the qualifying rounds.
Another victory on Thursday would mark Braga’s longest winning sequence in European competition, and they step into this clash on the back of a 1-0 success over GD Braganca in the Taca de Portugal last Friday.
Red Star, meanwhile, make the trip to Portugal buoyed by consecutive league victories, having beaten Napredak 3-0 before the international break and thrashed IMT Novi Beograd 6-1 on their return to maintain top spot in the Serbian top-flight standings.
However, continental outings have told a different story, beginning with a 1-1 draw against Celtic before suffering a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat at Porto, where a late strike from Rodrygo Mora saw Vladan Milojevics’s men leave Estadio Do Dragao empty-handed.
That setback means the Red-Whites have now lost eleven of their last twelve away games in major European competitions, a worrying trend that leaves Milojevic with plenty to ponder ahead of another trip to Portugal.
Thursday’s encounter will be the sixth meeting between the two sides – all in the Europa League – with both teams claiming a win apiece, while the most recent clash at Estadio Municipal de Braga ended in a 1-1 draw in December 2021.
Braga Europa League form:
Braga form (all competitions):
Red Star Belgrade Europa League form:
Red Star Belgrade form (all competitions):
Team News
Braga have no new injury concerns heading into this fixture, giving Vicens a wide selection of players to choose from after resting several regulars in their last outing.
Goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek is expected to return in goal, while Sikou Niakate and Gustaf Lagerbielke could reunite at the heart of defence, with Leonardo Lelo also likely to reclaim his place at left-back.
Ricardo Horta and Rodrigo Zalazar made substitute appearances last time out and could be restored to the starting lineup, while Fran Navarro is in contention for the number nine role alongside Pau Victor and Amine El Ouazzani.
Red Star will be without Rade Krunic and Shavy Babicka through injury, while attacking midfielder Aleksandar Katai remains a doubt for the trip.
A repeat of the attacking setup from their previous fixture could be on the cards after three of the four most advanced players found the net – Marko Arnautovic opened the scoring, Vasilije Kostov also struck, and Mirko Ivanic stole the spotlight with a hat-trick.
Meanwhile, Luka Zaric is pushing for a starting berth on the right flank after coming off the bench to get on the scoresheet, which could see Nemanja Radonjic drop from the lineup.
Braga possible starting lineup:
Hornicek; Lelo, Niakate, Lagerbielke, Gomez; Gorby, Victor Carvalho, Grillitsch; Horta, Ouazzani, Zalazar
Red Star Belgrade possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Seol, Uchenna, Rodrigao, Tiknizyan; Handel, Elsnik; Ivanic, Kostov, Zaric; Arnautovic
We say: Braga 2-1 Red Star Belgrade
While Braga have kept clean sheets in both of their opening Europa League matches this season, Red Star have found the net in fifteen of their last seventeen away fixtures on the continental stage.
Nonetheless, considering the visitors’ long-standing struggles on the road in major European competitions, the home side, who have won each of their last seven games on the continental front, are well placed to claim all three points here.
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