With the thrill from securing their spot in the Champions League still lingering in the air, Braga play host to Sporting Lisbon in round four of the Portuguese Primeira Liga on Sunday.
The Leoes journey to the Estadio Braga Municipal as one of just three sides with a 100% record in the new league campaign and will look to continue their perfect start to the season.
Match preview
Braga booked their spot in the Champions League for the first time in over a decade last Tuesday when they picked up a 1-0 second-leg victory over Panathinaikos in the playoffs to complete a 3-1 aggregate victory over the Greek outfit.
Having secured a 2-1 win in Portugal on August 23, 28-year-old Bruma grabbed the headlines at the Athens Olympic Stadium as he netted the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute to make sure of the result and end Braga's 11-year absence from the continental showpiece.
Artur Jorge's men now turn their attention to the Primeira Liga, where they kicked off the new campaign with a somewhat disappointing 2-1 loss to Famalicao at the Estadio Municipal de Braga on August 11.
However, Os Arcebispos bounced back eight days later when they cruised to a 4-2 victory away to Chaves, with goals from Bruma, Ricardo Horta, Simon Banza and Pizzi capping off a solid team display.
Following their midweek result over Panathinaikos, Braga have now won four consecutive games across all competitions and are unbeaten in 11 of their last 12, claiming 10 wins and one draw in that time.
Elsewhere, Sporting Lisbon made it three wins from their opening three games of the new Primeira Liga campaign as they saw off a dogged Famalicao side last Sunday.
In a one-sided affair at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, experienced striker Paulinho came up trumps for the hosts once again as he netted a 52nd-minute header to hand the Vila Nova their first defeat of the season.
Prior to that, Ruben Amorim's side scraped a 3-2 victory over Vizela in the league curtain-raiser on August 12, six days before Paulinho scored a brace to hand them a 2-1 victory over Casa Pia at the Estadio Pina Manique.
Sporting Lisbon head into the weekend undefeated in their last 17 league matches, picking up 14 wins and three draws since a 2-1 defeat at the hands of rivals Porto on February 12.
Next up is an opposing side who have failed to win any of the last three meetings between the teams, including two back-to-back 5-0 defeats in Taca da Liga and Primeira Liga respectively.
- L
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- W
Team News
Braga will take to the pitch without the services of experienced midfielder Mutassim Al-Musrati, who missed the game against Panathinaikos last time out through injury.
Bruma has been a standout performer for Os Arcebispos this season and the 28-year-old midfielder, who has six goal involvements in six games across all competitions, will certainly be one to look out for.
Meanwhile, Sporting Lisbon remain without Dutch defender Jeremiah St. Juste, who has been out of action since April's Europa League clash against Juventus through a muscle injury.
With his winner against Famalicao, Paulinho has now scored four goals in the first three games this season and we expect the Portuguese forward to spearhead the visitors' attack.
The 30-year-old should be joined in the final third by former Coventry City man Viktor Gyokeres and Portuguese playmaker Pedro Goncalves, who netted 15 goals and provided 11 assists last season.
Braga possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Gomez, Fonte, Saatci, Marin; Carvalho, A Horta; Lopes, Pizzi, Bruma; Ruiz
Sporting Lisbon possible starting lineup:
Adan; Diomande, Coates, Inacio; Catamo, Braganca, Morita, Santos; Goncalves, Gyoekeres, Paulinho
We say: Braga 1-2 Sporting Lisbon
Braga and Sporting Lisbon have both put together a fine run of form to start the season and we anticipate an end-to-end affair at the Estadio Braga Municipal. Amorim's side have won each of their last three Primeira Liga away games and we fancy them snatching all three points in this one.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
