Can Braga SC resurface under Leonardo Jardim? – Portuguese Primeira Liga Special
The season that began with so much expectations for the Archbishops faithful, turned out a to bitter disappointment in the end. Far from winning the league, the club failed to pick up any silverware and were eclipsed by the trophy haul of Andre Villas Boas’s
Porto, who bagged a remarkable quadruple.
The season culminated in the lowest of lows, when Domingos http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/José-c19246 Paciência Oliveira was given the boot by the club hierarchy.
After a season in which the only consolation the club had was reaching the UEFA Europa League final, signals the important arrivals of fresh ideas and innovative tactics, if Braga are ever to rise again.
The Officials have appointed Leonardo Jardim as Oliveira’s successor and immediately began reshuffling their squad to launch an attack on the Portuguese League title next season. http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Rodrigo-c31437 Galo, Ze Luis and Djamal are just some of the players who will be playing
at Estádio AXA next season.
The 2010/11 season was forgetful for the supporters, but they did get off to flying start, demolishing Celtic 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League at home. The second leg loss at Celtic Park, did not hamper the spirits as Domingo’s team marched on to the third
qualifying round where a nervy but ultimately favourable ending against Sevilla allowed them to qualify for the Group stages of the tournament for the first time in their rich history.
After being thrashed 6-0 by Arsenal on match day one, they were mauled again, this time 3-0 by Shakhtar Donetsk. But back to back wins against Partizan and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 kept their qualifying hopes alive. But in the last match, they succumbed to a 2-0 defeat
to Partizan, ending their UEFA Champions League adventure.
Although they exited Europe’s top tier competition on a sour note, they began a run to the final in the UEFA Europa league where they eliminated the likes of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 and Dynamo Kyiv before setting up a mouth watering clash with their arch
rivals Benfica in the semi-finals.
Although things did not go exactly as planned in the first leg, they turned the 2-1 defeat at the hands of Eagles into victory by defeating them at home and thus setting up an all Portuguese Final in Dublin.
On May 18, Braga suffered heartbreak when Falcao headed home the eventual winner from a Fredy Guarin cross. The frustration of the supporters and players was evident and it transcended into the club officials who gave Oliveira his marching orders.
After the departure of the Portuguese from the helm, the limelight now falls on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Leonardo-c22056, who faces the daunting task of reviving the club.
The 36-year-old started his managerial career with A.D. Camacha, where he was first the assistant manager and later became the first team manager at the inexperienced age of 27.
After impressing with tactical ability, he had a short but successful stint with third division side G.D. Chaves, whom he guided to Liga de Honra after taking the reins midway through the 2007/08 season.
In 2009, he took the hot seat at S.C. Beira-Mar, where he continued his impressive record as he guided the club to Primeira Liga but was unceremoniously sacked the next season due to a string of poor performances.
In his latest managerial venture, he faces a different battle; no longer does he have to work towards promotion but he has to install a winning mentality in the Braga side and bring some much needed silverware to the trophy cabinet at Estádio AXA, something
which he is indeed unfamiliar with but not unknown to.
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