Preview: Braga vs Estoril Praia - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to bounce back from their defeat in midweek, Braga welcome winless Estoril Praia to Estadio Municipal de Braga for a matchday six encounter on Monday.

Carlos Vicens's side enter this fixture on the back of a loss at Estrela da Amadora in their rescheduled gameweek three fixture on Thursday, three days after the Canaries' goalless draw against Arouca.

Match preview

After going nine games unbeaten across all competitions in 2026-27, Braga suffered their first loss of the season, going down 2-1 at Estrela da Amadora, despite opening the scoring inside five minutes through Gabri Martinez.

That midweek defeat in Alverca - where Estrela were forced to play after Liga Portugal suspended the pitch at their Jose Gomes ground - leaves the Archbishops eighth in the early-season Primeira Liga table after picking up seven points from their opening four league fixtures.

Braga had kicked off their top-flight campaign with a 2-2 draw at Moreirense before their matchday two fixture with Gil Vicente was postponed, preceding back-to-back league wins over Vitoria de Guimaraes and Alverca.

The Archbishop's defeat last time out comes as a huge setback to their top-three ambitions after Vicens's men finished fourth last term, slipping down to a UEFA Conference League qualification berth after Torreense's upset Taca de Portugal triumph over Sporting CP.

That said, a return to familiar surroundings on Monday should offer confidence for the hosts, who have won each of their last four home matches across all competitions, scoring eight goals in that stretch whilst keeping clean sheets in all four.

Estoril have endured a difficult start to life under Vasco Matos, who is yet to record a single competitive victory across the opening five league fixtures since taking over the reins this summer.

In fact, the Canaries have now gone 13 top-flight games without a win, a run stretching back to their victory over Nacional on matchday 26 of the previous season under Ian Cathro, who led the club to a 10th-placed finish last term.

Currently second from bottom in the Primeira Liga, Matos's side have struggled in the final third, with only bottom-placed Casa Pia, who are yet to score this term, having found the net fewer times than Estoril's two in the division.

Although their lack of cutting edge was evident once again last time out, the goalless draw against Arouca ended a three-match losing streak against Nacional, Rio Ave and Benfica following an opening-day draw with Famalicao.

The Canaries are also winless in their last six away league matches (D2, L4), though one of those two draws did at least come at this very venue, a 1-1 stalemate the last time Estoril visited Braga, and they will be hoping to pick up something from this trip north.

Braga Primeira Liga form:

Braga form (all competitions):

Estoril Praia Primeira Liga form:

Team News

Braga boss Vicens remains without captain Ricardo Horta and midfielder Jean-Baptiste Gorby, who are both sidelined with injuries, while Sikou Niakate continues to recover from the Achilles tendon injury he suffered in April.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old midfielder Denis Huseinbasic could also remain unavailable, although the nature of his current issue is unclear.

As for Estoril, head coach Vasco Matos could hand debuts to as many as three deadline-day signings in left-back Roko Jurisic, midfielder Milan Robin and winger Nail Omerovic, although it remains to be seen whether any of the trio will be involved from the start.

Summer recruit Xavi Sintes has yet to feature since joining from Cordoba and remains sidelined with a knee problem, leaving Ferro and Ismael Sierra as the most likely centre-back pairing for the trip north.

Braga possible starting lineup:

Bernardo; Barcia, V Carvalho, Lagerbielke; Gomez, Moutinho, Tiknaz, G Martinez; Dorgeles, Navarro, Pau Victor

Estoril Praia possible starting lineup:

Robles; Medrano, Ferro, Sierra, Sanchez; Tsoungui, Holsgrove; Garcia, Carvalho, Lacximicant; Begraoui