Braga vs Guimarães – News and Probable Lineups

Braga aims to bounce back from consecutive defeats against another local rival as they host Vitoria de Guimaraes for a Minho derby on Saturday evening.

Last weekend, a 2–1 defeat at Gil Vicente dropped the Archbishops from the Primeira Liga top four, while the Conquerors ascended to eighth place after a 2–1 win over Estrela Amadora.

Match overview

Braga entered their match against Gil Vicente last weekend hoping to extend their two-point advantage over the hosts, but it did not go as planned. They fell from fourth to fifth in the Primeira Liga standings and saw several promising streaks come to an end.

Carlos Vicens witnessed his team suffer their first loss in seven matches (W5, D1), a period during which they had not conceded a single goal. This solid defensive run, lasting over 10 hours of play, was broken in Barcelos, as a 21st-minute effort from Ricardo Horta unfortunately was not enough after halftime.

This defeat marked the third instance this season in which the Archbishops have lost after taking an early lead, one of which occurred during their 2–1 defeat to Guimaraes in the Taca da Liga final in January.

Braga has conceded at least two goals in 10 of their 43 matches across all competitions this season, with five of these outings contributing to more than half of their nine total losses during this period, indicating that a positive outcome on Saturday will depend on a solid defensive performance.

Nonetheless, the Archbishops have found some level of comfort at home, winning six out of their ten league matches there this season (D2, L2) and will approach Saturday’s match with cautious optimism, considering that a victory along with favorable results elsewhere could see them return to the top four.

Guimaraes has the chance to climb to sixth place with a victory, taking confidence from their resilient performance against Estrela last weekend, in which they came from behind to secure victory with second-half goals from Thiago Balieiro and Diogo Sousa.

However, inconsistency has plagued the Conquerors this season; they have lost three of their five Primeira Liga encounters (W2) since claiming the Taca da Liga trophy in January, and Luis Pinto’s side has only managed two consecutive league wins once this season.

Guimaraes has also faced a decline in form away from home, currently enduring back-to-back league defeats, conceding seven goals in those matches—a stark contrast to their previous three fixtures in which they kept clean sheets and won two (D1).

The Conquerors have allowed 31 goals in the Primeira Liga this season, while scoring only 25, raising concerns about how this imbalance will hold up against a host side that boasts the second-best attacking record in the division with 46 goals scored.

Nonetheless, Guimaraes will draw on recent head-to-head success leading into Saturday, having remained unbeaten in their last three league encounters (W1, D2), including a 1–1 draw in the previous match, while their last visit to Braga resulted in a 2–0 victory.

Team News

On-loan centre-back Adrian Leon Barisic was compelled to leave last weekend’s match in Barcelos early, but the Bosnian appears to have returned to full fitness after participating in training throughout the week.

The defensive line is still expected to miss Sikou Niakite, who remains unavailable due to an injury sustained last month, while both Jean-Baptiste Gorby (muscle) and Vitor Carvalho are likely to be out again due to fitness concerns.

Meanwhile, Amine El Ouazzani, sidelined with a foot issue since mid-December, will continue his recovery without participating in this match.

For Guimaraes, Goncalo Nogueira might miss a seventh consecutive game, while Oscar Rivas Viodi will again be absent due to a muscle injury sustained two months ago.

Rodrigo Abascal Barros had to leave the pitch last time out, and even if he recovers in time for this match, he will not take part, having received his fifth yellow card in that game.

Balieiro, who scored on his debut for the club last weekend, is expected to keep his spot in the starting lineup.

Braga possible starting XI:

Hornicek; Lagerbielke, Barisic, Arrey-Mbi; V Gomez, Moutinho, Grillitsch, Martinez; Zalazar, P Victor, Horta

Vitoria de Guimaraes possible starting XI:

Charles; Strata, Nobrega, Balieiro, J Mendes; BENI, Souza; Camara, Samu, Saviolo; G Silva

Braga has secured victories in six of their last seven home fixtures (D1), with their most recent four of those wins achieved while maintaining clean sheets, highlighting the dominance and defensive quality the Archbishops have shown on their home ground recently.

Considering Guimaraes’ inconsistency this season and their recent struggles away, the visitors may find it challenging this time. However, the Conquerors could still find a way to penetrate the hosts’ defense, having scored in four of their last five league matches away from home.