Sporting Lisbon will be looking to continue their incredible form when they travel to Braga for a Primeira Liga clash on Sunday. The Lions are currently sitting top of the table with a perfect record, having won all 10 of their league matches so far. They also had a successful midweek, dismantling Manchester City in the Champions League.
Sporting manager Ruben Amorim is set to leave the club after the match to take over as head coach at Manchester United, so he will be looking to sign off with a victory in front of his home fans.
Braga, meanwhile, are enjoying a good season themselves. They are currently sitting in fourth place with 20 points from 10 matches. However, they will be looking to spoil the party for Sporting, with the home side aiming to secure their seventh league win.
Sporting’s last game was a 5-1 victory at home over Estrela Amadora, taking 15 shots and outshooting Estrela Amadora by seven. They have been a dominant force in the league this season, scoring 35 goals and keeping seven clean sheets.
Braga are on a three-match winning streak in all competitions and will be hoping to carry their momentum into Sunday's match. They are on the back of a 2-1 win against Arouca in their last league outing, with Bruma opening the scoring from the spot in the first half and Amine El Ouazzani doubling their advantage early after the restart.
However, Braga will be wary of the threat posed by Sporting, who have a potent attacking force, led by Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres. The 26-year-old has been in sensational form this season, scoring 21 goals and providing three assists in 17 matches. In their Champions League match against City, Gyokeres scored a remarkable hat-trick.
The match between Braga and Sporting is sure to be a tense and exciting affair. Sporting will be looking to continue their winning ways, while Braga will be aiming to upset the league leaders. It is sure to be a captivating clash between two of Portugal’s most popular clubs.
The Braga Fortress
Braga manager Carlos Carvalhal is keen for his side to disrupt Sporting and prevent them from maintaining their perfect record in the league. He believes that his team has a good chance of upsetting the league leaders, but acknowledges that it will be a difficult match.
“It promises to be a very difficult game against a team that has had the best away performance, winning 3-0 in their last outing,” Carvalhal said. “Sporting comes into this match with seven consecutive victories, including a remarkable 4-1 triumph over Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday.”
He had high praise for Sporting, describing them as “a very good team, well-organized and led, featuring excellent players.”
“They are a mature team, with a coach who has remained in place, allowing them to evolve as a unit. They have made smart signings and retained key players. I believe 99.9% of football fans would bet on Sporting winning this match, leaving just 0.1% made up of our players, staff, and our fans. We aim to make Braga our fortress and fight for victory, a hallmark of this club through the ages. Our goal is to climb up the table; we may be few but we are strong,” Carvalhal added.
The Importance of Disruption
Carvalhal also highlighted the shorter recovery time for his squad compared to the 'Lions', who played on Tuesday.
“It does have a significant impact, yes, but it’s futile for coaches to dwell on potential disadvantages that won’t resonate. We’re going into this game fully committed and without excuses, aiming to win,” he stated.
He believes that Braga needs to focus on disrupting Sporting’s offensive and defensive dynamics rather than trying to neutralize them.
“If we over-contemplate Sporting’s players, we won’t perform. Sporting has much more than just Gyökeres; they have high-level players, and we must focus on nullifying Sporting collectively. When we have the ball, we want to exploit any weaknesses they, like all teams, possess, even if significantly fewer than others,” he explained.
The Farewell Party
The potential motivational factor of Sporting players wanting to bid farewell to Rúben Amorim with a victory is something SC Braga cannot control, Carvalhal explained.
“It’s beyond our preparation; we must focus on ourselves. We can only control what is within our reach, such as our defensive and offensive dynamics against Sporting,” he said.
Carvalhal seized the opportunity to wish Rúben Amorim luck as he takes over the managerial role at Manchester United right after the Braga game.
“It is crucial to have a Portuguese coach at the highest level of world leagues; it’s very important for the image of Portuguese coaches, and I wish him all the best,” he said, recalling the achievements of Portuguese coaches abroad such as José Mourinho, Marco Silva, Nuno Espírito Santo, Jorge Jesus, Paulo Fonseca, Vítor Pereira, Abel Ferreira, and Artur Jorge.
The Big Match Preview
The match between Braga and Sporting is set to be a highly anticipated one, with the league leaders aiming to maintain their perfect record and the hosts hoping to spoil the party for Sporting. The match will be officiated by Luís Godinho from the Évora association.
The game will be available to watch on several streaming services. For UK viewers, the match will be available on TRILLERtV+. For US viewers, the match will be available on GolTV.
The match will be a fascinating one to watch, with Sporting looking to finish their league campaign on a high and Braga looking to cause an upset. It is sure to be a captivating clash between two of Portugal's most popular clubs.
The End of An Era
With Amorim set to be unveiled as the new Manchester United head coach on November 5, the 39-year-old will look to mark his Sporting Lisbon farewell on a high and sign off in style. It's likely he will go down in the club's history as one of the most successful managers in recent times, but he will be looking to make a statement in his final game in charge. It's likely that his successor will be under immense pressure to replicate the success that Amorim achieved during his time at the helm. It is sure to be a momentous occasion for the club, and it's a game that will be talked about for years to come.
