Sports Mole previews Thursday’s Europa League clash between Braga and Maccabi Petah Tikva, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Braga welcome Maccabi Petah Tikva to Estadio Municipal de Braga for the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifying tie on Thursday evening.
The winners of this two-legged affair will lock horns with either Molde FK or Silkeborg IF in the third qualifying round.
Match preview
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Including qualifiers, Braga are gearing up for their eighth successive spell competing in the Europa League and will endeavour to right the wrongs of their elimination in the third qualifying round against Qarabaq FK this time last year.
Breaking into the top two of the Portugues top flight has been a primary aim for Braga in recent years – last doing so back in 2009-10 – and they eventually had to settle for another fourth-placed finish, their third in four seasons.
Artur Jorge opted to end his role as head coach and join Corinthians, with Daniel Sousa having since been appointed as his successor; the 39-year-old is now tasked with making Braga a more competitive outfit in European competition as well as reducing the whopping 18-point gap to champions Sporting Lisbon.
Braga have taken part in five friendlies so far this summer in preparation for the new season, and since losing 2-0 to Moreirense, they beat Anderlecht 2-1 before playing out a 2-2 draw with Rayo Vallecano last Thursday.
Maccabi Petah Tikva, meanwhile, are preparing for their first-ever match in the Europa League qualifiers since the tournament’s rebrand in 2009.
Dan Roman‘s side finished down in eighth place in last season’s Israeli Premier League, but they have secured their spot in the Europa League qualifiers after beating Hapoel Be’er Sheva 1-0 in the State Cup final, winning the trophy for just the second time in their history and for the first time in five years he first time in.
MPT have since lost their sparkle this month, suffering a 2-1 defeat to SKV Aophieer in their one and only pre-season friendly before losing 2-0 to Maccabi Petah Tikva a week last Monday.
Maccabi Petah Tikva will be regarded as underdogs for their two-legged tie against Braga, but Roman is confident that his players ca deliver on a bigger stage a cause an upset on Thursday.
Braga form (all competitions):
Maccabi Petah Tikva form (all competitions):
Team News
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Braga have been busy in the summer transfer window thus far, completing the signing of eight new players including young centre-back Bright Arrey-Mbi, who is expected to start on Thursday.
Thiago Helguera, Joao Marques and Amine El Ouazzani are among the others to arrive at Braga and could also feature in some capacity, as we as last season’s top scorer Simon Banza, who celebrated scoring 23 goals in 41 games.
As Maccabi Petah Tikva, they are yet to make any summer signings and Roman could potentially select the same starting lineup from the State Cup final.
Saliou Guindo and Anas Mahamid, who scored 14 goals between them last season, are both set to battle foe the centre-forward spot, while Braheem Jabaar and Maor Levi Maor Levi could both links arms in centre-midfield.
Braga possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Gomez, Arrey-Mbi, Niakate, Borja; Moutinho, Zalazar; Horta, Pizzi, Bruma; Banza
Maccabi Petah Tikva possible starting lineup:
Wolff; Deznet, Adilehou, Fuchs, Hindi; Levi, Jabaar; Idan Kaduri, Vered; Guindo
We say: Braga 2-0 Maccabi Petah Tikva
Although Maccabi Petah Tikva cannot be entirely written off, Braga will be regarded as firm favourites to come out on top and should have few problems claiming a routine victory on home soil to give themselves an advantage heading into next week’s second leg.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.