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

Prediction published on 13/02/2024, 15:00  by Sridhar | Modified on 15/02/2024 at 07:00 in Europa League Prediction

Portuguese hosts Braga welcome Azerbaijan team Qarabag in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League knockout this week. This first leg fixture will be played at the Estádio Municipal de Braga on Thursday. Braga were the runners-up in this competition in 2011 and have moved to the Europa League after finishing third in their Champions League group. They came behind Real Madrid and Napoli in that section and will now look to extend their European participation. This will be the first time that they are facing any side from Azerbaijan, so it will be unchartered territories. They need to rise from the lows of losing 5-0 to Sporting in their last game though, although their form otherwise has been impressive.

Qarabag are playing in their eighth Europa League campaign and have clinched a second place in Group H with ten points from six matches. That they had to wait till the last matchday and only a victory in that final game confirmed their progression tells that they didn’t have it easy. They have faced a Portuguese side only once before, losing both matches as they were beaten in the Europa League by Sporting Club in 2018/19. They can at least take comfort from their away record in the Europa League this season, having won three and drawn one of their five such matches.