Preview: Braga vs Real Betis - prediction, team news, lineups

Having both secured turnaround victories in the previous Europa League round, Braga and Real Betis will hope for a more favourable first-leg outcome on Wednesday, when the two sides meet in Minho for the opening fixture of their quarter-final tie.

The Archbishops had to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg of their last-16 clash with Ferencvaros to progress, while El Glorioso responded to their defeat at Panathinaikos in emphatic fashion when the two reconvened in Seville for the return leg.

Match preview

Despite suffering a 2-0 defeat in Budapest, many would still have predicted Braga to overturn their deficit when they welcomed Ferencvaros for the return leg in Minho, but the contest panned out even more straightforwardly than expected.

Just 15 minutes in, Carlos Vicens’s men were already level on aggregate, going 2-0 up through strikes from Ricardo Horta and Florian Grillitsch, with Gabri Martinez netting a third in the 34th minute, before the former completed his brace after the interval to seal victory.

That triumph sees the Archbishops competing in the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the fourth time and a first since 2021-22, but only on one occasion has the Minho club moved past this stage; that came in 2010-11 when they reached their only European final, losing to Porto in an all-Portuguese contest.

Playing the role of modern-day nemesis two weeks ago, Porto were behind Braga’s most recent home setback — a 2-1 league defeat — though winning eight of their previous 10 matches (D2) in front of their fans should still provide inspiration for Vicens and co. heading into Wednesday.

An excellent defence has been the hallmark of the Archbishops’ impressive Europa League mainstage campaign, where they have kept seven clean sheets in 10 games — no side in the competition has recorded more — and they will hope that record counts for something here.

Braga’s solidity at the back was also evident in Saturday’s all-Minho clash at Moreirense, where Fran Navarro’s 24th-minute strike proved decisive in earning a 1-0 victory, with the result leaving the Arsenalistas fourth in the Primeira Liga table.

Meanwhile, Betis head into this clash on the back of a goalless draw against Espanyol, leaving the Seville-based outfit fifth in the La Liga table while continuing a poor run of results in recent weeks.

El Glorioso have won just one of their last eight matches across all competitions (D4, L3), though that sole triumph did come in their most recent Europa League outing, where Manuel Pellegrini’s side secured a 4-0 victory over Panathinaikos to emerge 4-1 winners on aggregate following a 1-0 defeat in Greece.

That win secured a maiden UEL quarter-final berth for Betis, though they did twice reach the last eight of the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup — in 1977-78 and 1997-98 — while their furthest continental run came last season when the Seville club reached the Europa Conference League final, losing to Chelsea.

El Glorioso’s run to that showpiece included an emphatic victory on their previous visit to Minho, a 4-0 thrashing of Braga’s fiercest rivals, Vitoria de Guimaraes, which should offer the visitors some inspiration heading into Wednesday, marking the first competitive meeting between the sides.

However, Betis’ poor away form casts a shadow over their ability to take something from this midweek encounter, with Pellegrini’s men losing each of their last three outings on the road while failing to score in two of those matches.

Braga Europa League form:

Braga form (all competitions):

Real Betis Europa League form:

Real Betis form (all competitions):

Team News

Braga will remain without Bosnian centre-back Adrian Barisic, who has been sidelined with a muscle issue since late February, while Brazilian midfielder Victor Carvalho is still recovering from a hip problem.

Uruguay international Rodrigo Zalazar, who pulled out of international duty due to an injury sustained against Porto, is a doubt here after missing the weekend trip to Moreirense.

As such, Navarro should retain his spot in attack, while Pau Victor continues to assume Zalazar’s role in a supporting position alongside club captain Horta, with ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Joao Moutinho expected to pull the strings from the engine room.

As for Betis, Giovani Lo Celso is still recovering from a muscle problem, while Junior Firpo and Angel Ortiz — both of whom missed out at the weekend — continue their rehabilitation from respective fitness issues.

Reports suggest Isco has returned to partial training after a lengthy spell on the sidelines, though this encounter may come too soon for the midfielder.

Antony is the team’s leading goalscorer this season, netting 12 times across all competitions, and the former Manchester United winger should retain his place on the right flank.

Braga possible starting lineup:

Hornicek; Lagerbielke, Niakate, Arrey-Mbi; Gomez, Grillitsch, Moutinho, Martinez; P Victor, Horta; Navarro

Real Betis possible starting lineup:

Valles; Bellerin, Bartra, Natan, Gomez; Antony, Fornals, Amrabat, Ezzalzouli; Ruibal, Cucho Hernandez

We say: Braga 1-0 Real Betis

With Wednesday’s encounter marking the first competitive meeting between the two sides, there is little to draw on in terms of head-to-head reference, but recent momentum gives Braga a slight edge.

The Archbishops could make home advantage count as they look to seize control of the tie, and their defensive excellence may prove decisive, especially with Betis struggling in attack during recent away matches.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.