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Braga vs Santa Clara Prediction & Betting tips
The FC Famalicao is undoubtedly the surprise team of the Primeira Liga. With 19 points the climber leads the highest Portuguese league. In contrast, Sporting Braga, actually a candidate for the international starting places, is Sporting Lisbon in the table midfield.
Sporting Braga will round off the eighth round of the Primeira Liga on Monday night. The “Arcebispos” from Braga played last Thursday in the Europa League and took with an away win at Besiktas the group leadership. In the domestic league, Braga will now receive Santa Clara at home.
The “Acoreanos” from Ponta Delgada are undoubtedly one of the most unpleasant opponents in the Primeira Liga. With only four goals conceded in the first seven games of the season, Santa Clara is the second-strongest defense in the league. Two of the four goals conceded the “Acoreanos” in the away game against FC Porto.
To stand against the defensive stronghold of Santa Clara, the offensive of the “Arcebispos” will be in demand. So far, there have been only two wins for Sporting Braga in the current league season. The bookmakers see Braga against Santa Clara according to odds in the role of favorites and our tip is aimed at a home win of “Arcebispos” from.
Braga:
Sporting Braga has not yet made any progress in the domestic league to match its strong performances in the Europa League. With eight points from the first seven games of the season Braga put on a weak start to the season. After just under a month break, it continues in the Primeira Liga. Previously, the Portuguese teams were active in the cup competitions.
Last Thursday, Braga secured with a away win at Besiktas the group leadership in the Europa League. The “Arcebispos” have very good cards to survive the group stage. With the away win at Besiktas Braga recorded the fourth competitive victory in series and is thus in a very impressive form on the way.
Since losing to Vitoria Setubal, Braga has not lost a single competitive match. Eight games in a row are the “Arcebispos” meanwhile unbeaten. However, in the last five competitive games, the white vest could not be maintained.
At home, coach Ricardo Sa Pinto’s side have won just one of their last four home games. In the Estadio Municipal de Braga, the “Arcebispos” lost only against Benfica this season.
The personnel situation at Braga has not changed much in the last week. Accordingly, Sa Pinto will probably make no major changes in the starting eleven.
Santa Clara:
For CD Santa Clara, it is only the fifth season in the highest Portuguese league. It was all the more important to keep the class in the last season, after 2017/18 the rise from the second division was fixed. With tenth place in the table, the best result so far in the Primeira Liga was booked.
The team of Joao Henriques wants to build on it this season and is thereby clearly the league as the primary goal. The 46-year-old wants to rely primarily on the strengths of his team, which are undoubtedly in defensive play. With only four goals conceded in the first seven league games, the “Acoreanos” represent the second strongest defensive – along with FC Porto – the Primeira Liga.
So far, Santa Clara has lost only to league leaders Famalicao and Porto. Across the competition, the “Acoreanos” last received three defeats in the last five competitive matches. Santa Clara had to fight especially with the lack of penetration of the offensive. Statistically, Santa Clara is the most innocuous attack in the league with four goals.
In national competitions, Santa Clara has been without a goal six times this season. Recently, Henriques’s side had a surprise 3-0 victory over Oliveirense. The high away win should not be too overrated, because opponents Oliveirense is one of the relegation candidates in the third Portuguese league.
Henriques will miss out on three players in the away game at Braga due to injury. Cardoso, Diogo and Carvalho will miss the Monday match. Especially the loss of center-back Fabio Cardoso hurts enormously. Larger changes will not be expected in the starting eleven of Henriques.
Braga vs Santa Clara head to head matches
29.01.19 PL Braga Santa Clara 1 : 0
19.08.18 PL Santa Clara Braga 3 : 3
21.07.18 CF Santa Clara Braga 1 : 2
20.11.16 TP Braga Santa Clara 2 : 1
19.01.03 PL Braga Santa Clara 1 : 1