Sporting CP-Braga is a quarter-final in the Taça da Liga and is played on Monday at 21:15: news, stats, formations, predictions, live TV and streaming
In Portugal the break for the Qatar 2022 World Cup was shorter than in other countries of Europe. Hostilities resumed at the end of November with the group stage of the Taça da Liga, the Portuguese League Cup, the third largest trophy after the Primeira Liga and the Taça de Portugal. The quarter-finals kick off tonight, and the programme features a juicy Sporting CP versus Braga, the league’s third and fourth leaders.
Ruben Amorim’s green-and-whites, who had been far from regular in the first part of the season, proving to suffer from the double commitment, have won their group by winning all three matches. Six goals to Farense, two to Rio Ave, five to Maritimo: buckets, in short, without conceding any. And the consecutive victories become five, if we also consider those conquered in the last two days of the Primeira Liga, played before the start of the World Cup. The league table, however, does not allow the capital club to take any more breaks. First place seems to be gone – Benfica are a long way off and have 12 more points than their city rivals – but Sporting are also lagging behind third place, occupied by Braga.
Also healthy is Artur Jorge’s side, which will face Fiorentina in the play-offs to reach the Conference League round of 16 in February. Like their next opponents – who could also be in the league for third place – Braga also dominated the Taça da Liga round, scoring three convincing victories against Trofense, Casa Pia and Paços de Ferreira, again keeping their goal unbeaten.
Vitinha
The Prediction
This will be a well-balanced match between two teams who seem to have got off on the right foot again and are preparing to resume their run over Benfica and Porto in the league. Sporting CP remain slight favourites for qualification in a match that could be as exciting and entertaining as last August’s 3-3 draw in the Primeira Liga.
Sporting CP-Braga’s likely line-up
- SPORTING CP (3-4-3): Adan; Inacio, Coates, Reis; Pedro Porro, Ugarte, Gonçalves, Santos; Edwards, Paulinho, Trincao.
- BRAGA (4-4-2): Matheus; Fabiano, Niakate, Oliveira, Sequeira; Lainez, Castro, Al Musrati, Horta; Vitinha, Abel Ruiz.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 2-2
