Braga vs Zeleznicar Pancevo - prediction, team news, lineups

Braga look to seal progression into the adjacent signifier of the Conference League arsenic they invited Zeleznicar Pancevo to the Estadio Municipal de Braga for the instrumentality limb of their 2nd qualifying circular necktie connected Thursday.

The Portuguese outfit secured a 1-0 triumph successful past week's archetypal leg successful Serbia acknowledgment to Ricardo Horta's 67th-minute punishment and volition purpose to decorativeness the occupation successful beforehand of their ain supporters.

Match preview

Although Braga won 4 of their 5 pre-season friendlies (D1), past week's triumph successful Serbia marked the Archbishops' archetypal competitory occurrence since precocious April, having failed to grounds triumph successful immoderate of their last 4 matches (D3, L1) of the 2025-26 campaign.

That barren tally included 3 draws successful the Primeira Liga, wherever Carlos Vicens' men finished fourth, portion their lone decision during that spell came successful a 3-1 nonaccomplishment astatine Freiburg successful the 2nd limb of their Europa League semi-final aft claiming a 2-1 location occurrence successful the archetypal leg.

Having won 7 of their past 9 European matches connected their ain turf wrong 90 minutes (D1, L1), lone fewer volition uncertainty Braga's quality to get the occupation done connected Thursday and beforehand to the adjacent round.

The Portuguese broadside person besides scored 7 goals and conceded conscionable erstwhile crossed their past 2 continental qualifying fixtures astatine the Estadio Municipal de Braga, truthful the main question whitethorn beryllium by what borderline the hosts advancement successful their maiden Conference League campaign.

Zeleznicar, meanwhile, are competing successful Europe for the archetypal clip successful their past aft securing a fourth-placed decorativeness successful past season's Serbian Super Liga, capping an awesome emergence for a nine that lone earned promotion to the apical formation successful 2023.

Radomir Kokovic's broadside began the caller Super Liga play with a 2-1 triumph implicit Radnicki Nis connected July 17, but they were incapable to physique connected that winning start, having fallen to Braga successful past week's archetypal leg.

The Serbian outfit surely made beingness hard for their visitors, producing doubly arsenic galore shots arsenic the Archbishops, registering 8 attempts, 3 of which were connected target, and the Diesel Locomotive volition anticipation to instrumentality assurance from that show arsenic they pursuit a celebrated effect successful Portugal.

However, consistency has proved elusive for Zeleznicar, who person won conscionable 2 of their past 7 matches dating backmost to the extremity of the 2025-26 season, a spell that besides included 4 winless outings from 5 pre-season friendlies.

In fact, Kokovic's men person managed lone 2 victories from their past 9 competitory matches, though avoiding decision successful 5 of those fixtures should springiness the visitors immoderate content heading into Thursday's decisive contest.

Braga Conference League form:

Zeleznicar Pancevo Conference League form:

Zeleznicar Pancevo signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Braga appeared to travel done the archetypal limb without immoderate caller wounded concerns, though defender Sikou Niakate remains sidelined with an Achilles tendon rupture helium suffered during April's Europa League quarter-final against Real Betis.

Victor Rodrigues, who returned from wounded successful past week's victory, is expected to support his spot successful midfield, portion Vicens is improbable to marque galore changes to the broadside that won successful Serbia.

Summer signing Sergio Barcia made his competitory debut successful the archetypal limb and should proceed alongside Victor Carvalho successful cardinal defence, with Bright Arrey-Mbi and Victor Gomez expected to implicit the backmost 4 successful beforehand of goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek.

Veteran Joao Moutinho is acceptable to anchor the midfield erstwhile again, portion Pau Victor should pb the attack, with skipper Horta and Gabri Martinez providing enactment from the flanks.

Zeleznicar besides emerged from past week's contention without immoderate caller fittingness concerns, truthful caput manager Kokovic could sanction a akin starting lineup contempt the defeat.

Nikola Jovanovic, Simao Pedro and Sylvester Jasper are acceptable to spearhead the onslaught erstwhile more, portion Janko Jevremovic should spouse Kristian Sekularac and Clement Lhernault successful midfield.

The backmost 4 protecting goalkeeper Zoran Popovic is expected to dwell of Uros Tegeltija, Mirko Milikic, Nemanja Vidojevic and Nikola Djuricic.

Braga imaginable starting lineup:

Hornicek; Gomez, Barcia, Carvalho, Arrey-Mbi; Gorby, Moutinho, Rodrigues; Horta, Pau Victor, Martinez

Zeleznicar Pancevo imaginable starting lineup:

Popovic; Djuricic, Vidojevic, Milikic, Tegeltija; Lhernault, Jevremovic, Sekularac; Jasper, Pedro, Jovanovic

We say: Braga 3-0 Zeleznicar Pancevo (Braga triumph 4-1 aggregate)

The archetypal limb proved much competitory than galore anticipated, but returning to acquainted surroundings should let Braga to amusement the gulf successful prime betwixt the 2 sides.

The Archbishops person built a beardown grounds astatine location successful European qualifiers, and different convincing triumph looks the astir apt result arsenic they publication their spot successful the adjacent round.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.