National vs Braga – News and Probable Lineups

On Saturday in Madeira, two teams with differing goals in the Primeira Liga will face off as relegation-threatened Nacional welcomes Braga, who are aiming for a top-four finish.

The Minho visitors, who are intent on solidifying their hold on fourth place, are two points ahead of Gil Vicente in fifth, while the hosts sit in 14th, just three points clear of the relegation playoff.

Match overview

Having lost fourth position to Gil Vicente—who emerged victorious in their last encounter—Braga reclaimed it last weekend when the Roosters suffered a defeat at Estrela Amadora, just a day after the Archbishops celebrated a thrilling victory in the Minho derby.

Carlos Vicens’s team faced setbacks as goals from Rodrigo Zalazar and Ricardo Horta were canceled out twice, but they reunited in the 57th minute, allowing Zalazar to net his second and secure a 3–2 win over Vitoria de Guimaraes.

This victory provided some redemption following their defeat in the Taca da Liga final to the same side in January, a disappointment that was later compounded with an exit from the Portuguese Cup against lower-tier AD Fafe.

Since that defeat, however, the Archbishops have triumphed in six of their last eight matches across all competitions (D1, L1)—a run that also guaranteed direct entry into the Europa League Round of 16—while only Sporting Lisbon (16) and Benfica (16) have garnered more league points than Braga’s 15 from the last six fixtures.

Braga will be optimistic about extending their notable streak against a Nacional side they have defeated in 11 of their last 13 competitive meetings (D1, L1), including all five of their most recent trips to Madeira.

However, Braga is at risk of experiencing their first league double in this rivalry since the 2012–13 season, having fallen 1–0 during the first meeting in November in Minho.

Showing little capacity to achieve that, Nacional has secured only two victories out of their last 15 Primeira Liga encounters (D5, L8) since late October, including a Portuguese Cup defeat against the same opponent.

Tiago Margarido’s team enters this match after experiencing a 3–0 loss at Arouca, a game in which both teams had players sent off, with Chiheb Labidi receiving a red card in the 51st minute, compounding the troubles for the Madeirans, while Hyunju Lee’s late dismissal didn’t change the outcome for the hosts.

This loss signifies that the White-and-Blacks have now dropped five of their eight fixtures in 2026 (W1, D2), without a win in their last four (D1, L3), and it further underscores their issues in the attacking third, with Nacional failing to find the net in their last three matches.

Despite their struggles, the Madeirans have exhibited some resilience on home turf, having lost only one of their last five league games there (W2, D2)—against leaders Porto—and the hosts will be hoping that this solidity plays a significant role on Saturday as they aim to avoid relegation.

Team News

With Labidi suspended for Saturday’s encounter, Nacional will at least be glad to welcome back a vital midfield figure after Liziero missed the recent defeat at Arouca due to accumulated bookings.

Ze Victor collected his fifth yellow card of the season during that match, leaving head coach Margarido with additional defensive worries, especially as Ulisses and Ivanildo Fernandes remain sidelined due to injuries.

Midfielder Filipe Soares, absent since November, is anticipated to remain unavailable; Joao Aurelio could miss a sixth straight match, while left-back Jose Gomes is also uncertain after not participating in the previous fixture.

Braga has reported no new injury problems stemming from the Minho derby, although Amine El Ouazzani (foot) and Jean-Baptiste Gorby (muscle) continue to be absent.

Centre-back Sikou Niakite continues to recuperate from a muscle issue sustained in January, while Vitor Carvalho could miss a fifth consecutive game.

Zalazar has been directly involved in seven goals over his last six league matches, while Horta has scored six times and provided four assists in his past five Primeira Liga appearances, both are expected to offer vital contributions in attack.

Nacional probable starting XI:

Pereira; Vallier, Santos, Goncalves, Nunez; Liziero, M Dias, Baeza; Goncalves, Veron, Ramirez, Boia

Braga probable starting XI:

Hornicek; Lagerbielke, Barisic, Arrey-Mby; V Gomez, Moutinho, Grillitsch, D Rodrigues; Zalazar, P Victor, Horta

Braga has achieved victories in five out of their 11 away league matches this season (D4, L3), demonstrating occasional inconsistency on the road. Nevertheless, the Archbishops appear well positioned to secure maximum points against the struggling Nacional.

Nacional has faced difficulties in scoring in recent games, though the return of Liziero—who has four assists—should provide some optimism, and the hosts may find the back of the net, even if the visitors ultimately come out on top.