Europa League preview: Porto v Braga

Braga are out to ruin Porto’s treble plans when the two Portuguese sides meet in the Europa League final in Dublin on Wednesday.

Having clinched the Liga Sagres title in April, Porto can claim a hat-trick of titles if they defeat Braga and then account for Vitoria Guimaraes in the final of the Taca de Portugal four days later.

Porto – winner of the competition in 2003 – are short favourites for the Europa League title, having overcome the likes of Villarreal and Moscow clubs CSKA and Spartak on their way to the final.

Undefeated all season in the league, Porto’s exploits have led to speculation over how long highly rated manager Andres Villas-Boas has left at the club.

Porto-born and bred, Villas-Boas has spoken of his desire to stay at the Estadio do Dragoa for at least another season.

If he is to pull off the treble this campaign, he will be largely indebted to strike duo Radamel Falcao and Hulk.

The two frontmen have contrasting styles. Brazilian Hulk’s physical approach has ensured he lives up to his name, while Falcao relies more on his exquisite timing to find the back of the net.

One thing they do have in common is goals, and plenty of them.

Falcao has scored 16 goals in 13 Europa League appearances, including four in Porto’s 5-1 win over Villarreal in the first leg of their semi-final tie on April 28.

Restricting the service he and Hulk receive must be the first priority for Braga manager Domingos Paciencia.

Former Porto striker Paciencia knows he will be best served not getting lured into a shootout with Porto, given the differences of both side’s attacks.

Porto have been a free-scoring side in all competitions this season, while Braga have found goals more difficult to come by.

Braga are instead likely to hope their sturdy rear guard can hold Porto at bay, and then wait for opportunities through their opponents’ often high defensive line on the counter attack.

What sort of impact Braga midfielders Hugo Viana and Marcio Mossorro have will go some way to determining their side’s fate, with both capable of supplying a killer pass or scoring a spectacular goal.

While they have lost to Porto in both their previous meetings this campaign, the underdogs can take solace in their performances against some noted European performers to reach the final of a continental competition for the first time.

Having exited the Champions League at the group stage, Braga eased past Liverpool, Dynamo Kiev and then Benfica to book their Dublin date for Europe’s second-tier club competition.

Veteran striker Alan – a one-time Porto player – has led the line on most occasions for Braga in the Europa League and will need to impress again for them if they are to upset his former side.

Adding to the intrigue of the match was the confirmation last Wednesday that Paciencia would depart Braga regardless of the final result.

Heavily linked with the post at Sporting Lisbon, how Paciencia would love to end his Braga tenure by lifting the Europa League trophy.