Braga will host Panathinaikos in the first leg of their final qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. In the penultimate preliminary round, the hosts destroyed Backa Topola 7-1 on aggregate. Their Greek opponents ousted previous champions Marseille on penalties.
Preview (Braga vs Panathinaikos)
Even with a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 advantage from the first leg of their matchup with Serbian underdogs Backa Topola, Braga did not let up during their stopover at the TSC Arena last week, destroying their troubled opponents with a barrage of goals in the first half. Within 20 minutes of the game’s start, Pizzi, Bruma, Alvaro Djalo, and Al-Musrati all made the net bulge in a stunning display of attacking prowess. Marko Rakonjac then gave Backa Topola a point with what may have been the least significant goal of his career.
In keeping with the number four, Braga scored four goals on the road four days after thrashing Backa Topola 4-1. Braga fought back from a goal down to defeat Chaves 4-2 on Saturday in the Primeira Liga. It gave them their first domestic victory of the year. Artur Jorge’s team lost to Famalicao 2-1 on the first day of the top-flight season. It was possibly because they were preoccupied with European issues. Scoring eight goals in their previous two away games is the ideal remedy for that early colossal slaughter.
Panathinaikos has not yet begun its quest for domestic supremacy. Unlike Braga and the majority of other teams aiming for Champions League qualifying. As a result, it has been able to concentrate completely on its continental efforts. It has paid off handsomely during a third-round giant-killing. On August 9, Panathinaikos made sure that Marseille’s trip to Athens would be uncomfortable after a 5-3 overall victory against Ukraine’s Dnipro-1 in their first match. Bernard helped Ivan Jovanovic’s team to a 1-0 first-leg victory. Panathinaikos last advanced to the proper tournament in the 2010–11 season, when Braga made their first Champions League group-stage appearance.
Team News
Jorge had the luxury of taking several of his star players off at halftime in the second leg last week. The hosts did not suffer any new injuries during their recent victory over Chaves either. However, midfielder Rodrigo Zalazar only played for 45 minutes at position 10. He will undoubtedly be concerned about the possibility of losing his starting position to Pizzi or Djalo. Both players made significant contributions to the Archbishops’ comeback in the second half.
Otherwise, the Shamrock will go to Braga with the same lineup that beat Marseille in the second leg, even if first-leg star Bernard was unexpectedly benched before converting his penalty in the shootout. The former Everton player and Ioannidis should both be considered by Jovanovic for starting this week, and midfielder Ruben Perez should once again wear the captain’s armband despite the fact that he will miss the second leg if he receives a caution.
Some Marseille supporters may have discovered the hard way not to underestimate Panathinaikos, who should benefit greatly from a week’s worth of rest against Jorge’s goal-happy Braga. The hosts’ resolve will be tested much more than it was against Backa Topola, but their offensive firepower should be too much for Panathinaikos to handle, and the Archbishops should travel to Athens for the second leg next week defending a slim lead.
Braga 2 – 1 Panathinaikos
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