Verdict: Total home goals over 2.5
Best odds: 4/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
Braga will host Maccabi Petah Tikva at Estadio Municipal de Braga on Thursday evening for the first leg of their Europa League second round qualifying tie.
The victor of this two-legged encounter will face off against either Molde FK or Silkeborg IF in the third qualifying round.
Braga
Including qualifiers, Braga are gearing up for their eighth consecutive season in the Europa League, aiming to improve upon last year’s early exit in the third qualifying round against Qarabaq FK.
Braga’s primary goal in recent years has been to break into the top two of the Portuguese top flight, a feat last achieved in the 2009-10 season. However, they ended the 2023-24 campaign in fourth place for the third time in four seasons.
Artur Jorge, the former head coach, left to join Corinthians in April, and Daniel Sousa, 39, has since taken over. Sousa’s objectives include making Braga more competitive in European competitions and closing the significant 18-point gap to last season’s champions, Sporting Lisbon.
In preparation for the new season, Braga has played five friendlies. After a 2-0 loss to Moreirense, they secured a 2-1 victory over Anderlecht and drew 2-2 with Rayo Vallecano last Thursday.
Team News
Braga have been active in the summer transfer window, bringing in eight new players so far, including promising young centre-back Bright Arrey-Mbi, who is expected to start on Thursday.
Other notable signings include Thiago Helguera, Joao Marques, and Amine El Ouazzani, who could also feature in the match. Last season’s top scorer, Simon Banza, who netted 23 goals in 41 games, remains a key player and is likely to play a significant role in 2024/25 too.
Maccabi Petah Tikva
Maccabi Petah Tikva are readying themselves for their first-ever appearance in the Europa League qualifiers since the tournament’s rebrand in 2009.
The team finished eighth in the Israeli Premier League last season but earned their place in the Europa League qualifiers by winning the State Cup, defeating Hapoel Be’er Sheva 1-0 in the final. This victory marked only their second State Cup win in the club’s history and their first in five years.
However, MPT have struggled recently, losing 2-1 to SKV Aophieer in their only pre-season friendly and falling 2-0 to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Israel Super Cup.
Despite being seen as underdogs against Braga, Dan Roman is hopeful that his team can rise to the occasion and secure a positive result in the first leg of their two-legged tie.
Team News
Maccabi Petah Tikva have yet to make any summer signings, and Dan Roman might opt to field the same starting lineup that featured in the State Cup final.
Saliou Guindo and Anas Mahamid, who combined for 14 goals last season, are expected to compete for the centre-forward position. In midfield, Braheem Jabaar and Maor Levi could be chosen as partners.
Conclusion
Braga are widely expected to emerge victorious and should comfortably secure a win at home. This result would put them in a strong position heading into the second leg next week.
Verdict: Total home goals over 2.5
Best odds: 4/5
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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