How do the Braguistas fare at home?
With only one point from a possible nine, Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Rasgrad currently hold the red lantern in Group F of the Europa League. The Green-Whites lost their last two home matches against Red Star Belgrade and Sporting Braga both 1-0 and are now winless in the Europa League for 15 consecutive games.
This compares with the Portuguese side, who have won 12 of their 19 home games so far in the Europa League group stage. In the run-up to the second leg between Braga and Ludogorets Rasgrad, the odds are clearly in favour of the home side.
There is not much real value in betting on a home win for the Braguistas. It is more coherent to bet on a low-scoring encounter between Braga and Ludogorets Rasgrad. Already in the first leg, not much happened after the Portuguese took an early lead in the seventh minute. Braga have also not conceded a goal in five consecutive competitive matches.
Braga – Statistics & current form
Sporting Clube de Braga have never won the national championship in Portugal, but they did win the Taça de Portugal for the third time this summer. The northern Portuguese side, nicknamed Arcebispos (the Archbishops) because of the seat of the Archbishop-Primate of Portugal, is no longer an unknown quantity on the international stage.
The Braguistas have taken part in European competition in 17 of the last 18 seasons and even reached the final of the Europa League in the 2010/11 season.
Once again only fourth in the league
The northern giants are also doing solidly at the moment.
Although they suffered a 2-1 defeat at Red Star Belgrade on the first matchday, they then celebrated two wins in a row over Midtjylland and Ludogorets Rasgrad. As a result, the Arcebispos currently occupy second place in Group F.
In the Portuguese league, meanwhile, the Braguistas are once again unable to get past Porto, Sporting and Benfica. As is often the case, SC Braga currently occupy fourth place in the current table, although they have only lost one of their first ten league games.
Unbeaten in eight home games in EL group stage
The momentum of the northern Portuguese is correspondingly great. Carlos Carvalhal’s side have not lost any of their last nine competitive matches and have not conceded a goal in five consecutive games. Braga’s chances against Ludogorets Rasgrad are therefore very favourable, with the odds on a low-scoring game.
A result like a 1-0 or 2-0 home win for the Arcebispos, who have not lost for eight consecutive home games in the Europa League group stage (five wins, three draws), is very likely.
Predicted line-up of Braga:
Matheus – Sequeira – Leite – Oliveira – Silva – Horta – Al Musrati – Castro – Galeno – Medeiros – Ruiz
Last matches played by Braga:
Liga Portugal
11/01 2021 – Braga 3 – 0 Portimonense
Liga Cup Group C
10/28 2021 – Braga 0 – 0 Pacos de Ferreira
Liga Portugal
10/25 2021 – Gil Vicente 0 – 1 Braga
Europa League Grp. F
10/21 2021 – PFK Ludogorez Rasgrad 0 – 1 Braga
Cup
10/17 2021 – UFC Moitense 0 – 5 Braga
Ludogorets Rasgrad – Statistics & current form
Although PFK Ludogorets Rasgrad have been around since 1945, the northeast Bulgarians are the great upstart of the 21st century. Indeed, since pharmaceutical entrepreneur Kiril Domuschiev bought the club in 2011, there has never been another champion in the Parva Liga.
This summer, the Орлите (the Eagles) secured their tenth consecutive national championship, making them the sole and longest-running series champions in Europe.
Winless in the Europa League for 15 games
The club is now also well known in UEFA competitions. Ludogorets Rasgrad have not only played in the Champions League twice, but are currently involved in the group stage of the Europa League for the sixth time, in which they even reached the last 16 in 2014.
At least in the recent past, however, the Green-Whites have had very little to gain internationally. Currently, the Орлите have been waiting for another win in the Europa League for 15 games and have thus remained winless in their last seven away games in this competition (two draws, five defeats).
30 points from a possible 33 in the Parva Liga
However, the Орлите, who are once again the measure of things at national level with 30 out of a possible 33 points, won their only away game to date at the Estádio Municipal de Braga with 2-0. That also argues for switching to the under 2.5 goals bet in this duel, which would also cover such eventualities.
Predicted line-up of Ludogorets Razgrad:
Kahlina – Pinas – Verdon – Sá – Ikoko – Goncalves – Badji – Despodov – Yankov – Tekpetey – Sotiriou
Last matches played by Ludogorets Razgrad:
First Professional League
10/31 2021 – PFK Ludogorez Razgrad 2 – 0 PFC Beroe Stara Zagora
Cup
10/28 2021 – PFK Ludogorez Razgrad 3 – 1 FK Lokomotiv Gorna Oryahovitsa
First Professional League
10/25 2021 – PFK Botev Plovdiv 1 – 3 PFK Ludogorez Razgrad
Europa League Grp. F
10/21 2021 – PFK Ludogorez Rasgrad 0 – 1 Braga
First Professional League
10/16 2021 – PFK Ludogorez Razgrad 4 – 0 FC Tsarsko Selo Sofia 2015
Braga – Ludogorets Rasgrad Direct comparison / H2H record
Head to head: 1 – 1 – 1
A fortnight ago, Braga won 1-0 in the first leg in the Bulgarian north-east to record their first win over the Орлите at the third attempt. The last time both clubs played in the Europa League group stage was in 2017/18. A 2-0 away win in Braga was followed by a 1-1 draw in the second leg in Rasgrad.
Braga – Ludogorets Rasgrad Tip
Braga vs Ludogorets Rasgrad: The prediction goes clearly to a home win for the Portuguese, who already won the first leg. In addition, there is the Bulgarian’s drought of 15 consecutive games in the Europa League without a win. However, the Green-Whites won their only away match so far at the Braguistas four years ago with 2-0, so winning the points again is not completely out of the question.
It is striking that both teams are very good defensively. They have only conceded a total of three goals in three group matches. In addition, the two clubs have never scored more than two goals in any of their three encounters. Accordingly, there is a lot of value in betting on another low-scoring match.
