Qarabag FK vs SC Braga Prediction & Betting Tips - Europa League

Prediction published on 21/02/2024, 09:40  by Ian John | Modified on 22/02/2024 at 04:45 in Europa League Prediction

Last week, Qarabag defeated Braga 4-2 at the Estadio Municipal de Braga to take a deserved lead into the home leg. A Marko Jankovic penalty handed the Azerbaijan side the lead, only for Simon Banza to level just before the half. However, a trio of goals in a 15 minute spell, a double from Abdellah Zoubir and the other from Juninho, put the visitors in complete control, however Joao Moutinho's penalty in injury time at least gave Braga hope of pulling something out of the hat in the second leg. At the weekend Braga warmed up for the game in Azerbaijan with a 2-1 win over Farense in a game they dominated but which they still required an 85th minute goal from Cher Ndour to seal the win. That's not the ideal kind of goalscoring form to be heading into an away leg tie in Europe needing to overturn a two-goal deficit.

Qarabag have had the luxury of a free weekend in between the two legs of this tie, their last domestic action coming back on February 11th in a 3-3 draw with Sabah. That draw ended a run of ten wins in the domestic league for the team but they followed that draw with the win in Braga to set themselves up nicely for the second leg. The only team to beat Qarabag this season in the Europa League were German Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen and the Germans only narrowly won 1-0 on the road. Brazilian Juninho is the player to watch having scored 15 goals this season, with two assists and he will certainly be a threat to the Braga defence in front of Qarabag's home fans in the second leg.