Preview: Braga vs. Rio Ave - prediction, team news, lineups

Arthur Jorge's side head into the weekend unbeaten in three consecutive games against the Vilacondenses and will be looking to pick up a fifth consecutive league win on home turf.

Match preview

Braga failed to move into the automatic Champions League qualification places as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Vitoria de Guimaraes at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques last Monday.

In a heated contest which saw three players receive their marching orders, Tiago Silva and Allison Safira scored first-half goals to hand the hosts a commanding lead before Alvaro Djalo pulled one back in the 88th minute.

Prior to that, Os Arcebispos saw their hopes of a first European silverware come to an end on February 23, when they suffered a 3-2 defeat away to Fiorentina in their Conference League playoffs clash to lose 7-2 on aggregate against the Serie A outfit.

Off the back of two successive away defeats, Braga now return home, where they are on a run of nine wins from their last 10 matches across all competitions, with their 4-0 first-leg defeat against Fiorentina on February 16 being the exception.

Jorge's side have also won each of their last four league matches at the Estadio Braga Municipal since the start of December, seeing off Benfica, Boavista, Famalicao and Arouca since a 1-0 loss against Casa Pia on November 6.

With 49 points from 22 matches, Braga are currently third in the Primeira Liga standings, 10 points off league leaders Benfica and four above fourth-placed Sporting Lisbon outside the Champions League qualification places.

Rio Ave, on the other hand, moved into the top half of the league table last Sunday when they secured a slender 1-0 victory over Chaves at the Estadio Municipal Eng. Manuel Branco Teixeira.

Portuguese youngster Fabio Ronaldo came up clutch for the home side as he grabbed his first league goal since October eight minutes after the half-time break to condemn the Flavienses to their eighth defeat of the season.

Having claimed a 2-0 victory over Estoril Praia on February 13, Luis Freire's men won back-to-back home games for the first time since picking up three consecutive victories between October and November.

However, the Vilacondenses head into the weekend without a win in their four away matches in 2023, losing twice and claiming two draws since a 1-0 victory over Maritimo in the Taca da Liga on December 1.

Rio Ave have now picked up seven wins, six draws and lost nine of their 22 matches to collect 27 points and sit ninth in the Primeira Liga table, level on points with 10th-placed Famalicao.

Braga Primeira Liga form:

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L

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Braga form (all competitions):

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Rio Ave Primeira Liga form:

D

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Team News

Braga will be without 23-year-old forward Djalo, who is currently suspended after picking up a red card in last week's defeat to Vitoria de Guimaraes.

Sikou Niakate, who has made 15 league appearances this season, is also suspended for Sunday's clash after receiving an early bath in the aforementioned game.

In the absence of the French defender, Paulo Oliveira should be handed his 12th league start of the season, forming a centre-back pairing with 27-year-old Vitor Tormena.

Meanwhile, Rio Ave will have to cope without Portuguese midfielder Joca, who has been out of action since September through a seventh knee injury.

Veteran midfielder Vitor Gomes has missed the last seven matches through an injury and the 35-year-old is also ruled out of the trip to the Estadio Braga Municipal.

Braga possible starting lineup:

Lima; Gomez, Oliveira, Tormena, Sequeira; Racic, Elmusrati, Gomes; Ruiz, Horta, Banza

Rio Ave possible starting lineup:

Jhonatan; Sa, Santos, Pantalon; Costinha, Graca, Guga, Samaris, Ronaldo; Pereira, Boateng

We say: Braga 2-0 Rio Ave

Having lost their last two matches, Braga will head into the weekend looking to arrest their slump and resume their push for an automatic Champions League qualification spot. Jorge's side have been near impenetrable on home turf in recent weeks and are tipping them to come away with their fifth straight league win at the Estadio Braga Municipal.

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