Braga vs Ferencváros – News and Probable Lineups

Braga needs to overcome a two-goal deficit to keep their Europa League hopes alive as they host Ferencvaros at Estadio Municipal de Braga for the second leg of their round of 16 matchup on Wednesday.

The Portuguese side faced a 2-0 loss last Thursday during their encounter in Budapest, marking the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.

Match overview

Having progressed directly to the round of 16 following a sixth-place finish in the league phase, it would not have been unreasonable for Braga supporters to anticipate their team bringing something back against a Ferencvaros squad that had to navigate through the playoffs.

However, the team led by Carles Vicens returned home empty-handed despite holding nearly double the possession of their opponents. That control translated to little in a match where both sides managed three shots on target, with Gabi Kanichowsky and Lenny Joseph scoring the decisive goals of the evening.

This result means Braga has lost two of their nine matches in the Europa League this season (W5, D2), leaving the 2010-11 finalists facing a significant challenge if they wish to reach the quarter-finals for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Nonetheless, the Archbishops are not lacking motivation, having triumphed in their last six two-legged ties in UEFA competitions. Historical context also provides grounds for optimism, as the Minho club has managed to recover from a two-goal deficit to advance in this tournament before.

This occurred against Sheriff Tiraspol in the playoffs of the 2021-22 knockout phase, and Braga will not dismiss the possibility of achieving such a comeback again, although only three of their last nine home victories (D2) have come by a margin of two goals or more.

Despite their solid advantage, Ferencvaros is facing concerns of their own, having suffered five defeats in their last eight away games in the Europa League (W2, D1), four of which were by two goals or greater.

Another concerning aspect is that the Greens were eliminated from the Europa League last season despite winning the first leg of their knockout playoff at home against Viktoria Plzen, ultimately going out with a 3-1 aggregate after a 3-0 defeat in the Czech Republic.

With this in mind, manager Robbie Keane acknowledged that the away trip to Minho “is going to be really difficult,” but with a healthy lead over Braga, fans of the Greens might already be dreaming of a significant milestone in European competition.

Ferencvaros could be the first Hungarian club to reach the quarter-finals of any major European tournament in 41 years, and they enter this midweek fixture on the back of a six-match winning streak across all competitions.

During this run, the Greens have netted an impressive 17 goals, posting three clean sheets while conceding no more than one goal in the other matches, with three of those victories occurring on the road. Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising if the visitors aimed to capitalize on their current advantage here.

Team News

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Braga is likely to continue playing without centre-back Adrian Barisic, who is still recuperating from an abductor issue, while midfielder Vitor Carvalho is expected to miss his eighth consecutive match.

On a more positive note, the Portuguese side will welcome back Spanish defender Victor Gomez, who was suspended for the first leg, while Amine El Ouazzani could see some minutes after returning from a foot injury as an unused substitute in that match.

Captain Ricardo Horta aims to maintain his strong scoring streak on home turf, having scored in each of his last four home matches, amassing five goals in that span.

Ferencvaros, on the other hand, will still be without Swiss defender Stefan Gartenmann as he continues his recovery journey toward full health, while Bence Otvos is slated to miss his fifth straight match due to physical discomfort.

Head coach Keane will also miss Norwegian midfielder Kristoffer Zachariassen, who will serve a one-match ban due to accumulated yellow cards.

Braga possible starting XI:

hornicek; Niakate, Lagerbielke, Arrey-Mbi; V Gomez, Moutinho, Grillitsch, Dorgeles; Zalazar, P Victor, Horta

Ferencvaros possible starting XI:

Grof; Gomez, Raemaekers, Cisse; Makreckis, Madarasz, Kanichowsky, A Fani, O’Dowda; Joseph, Bamidele

Both teams did not compete in their respective league fixtures over the weekend, so they should approach this match refreshed after last week’s first-leg battle in Budapest.

That being said, Braga carries a relatively stronger reputation in this tournament, and given their familiarity with European comebacks, the Archbishops might turn the deficit around in regular time, although extra time could still be necessary for progression.