Porto versus Braga: Europa League Final Preview – Radamel Falcao to take on Domingos Paciência’s men
An all Portuguese final awaits at Aviva Stadium in Dublin as Porto take on Braga in the pen-ultimate match of the Europa League. Last season it was Atletico Madrid who won the inaugural Europa League but this time around, Portuguese
teams have dominated the secondary European competition.
Nonetheless, Andre-Villas Boas’s team take on Braga on 18th May, 2011 in what is anticipated to be a match which will reflect the true nature of Portuguese football. Thus, let’s take a look at how both the teams might
line up in Dublin...
Porto
Portuguese league winners are a sight to behold; they are the Manchester United of Portuguese football’s first division. With Andre-Villas Boas at the helm, Porto have delighted everyone this season as they have been rampant in
European football as well as their domestic league. Already undisputed winners of the Portugal’s domestic league, Porto now turn their attention towards the Europa League final.
The Iberian giants out fought Villarreal in the semi-finals of the Europa League to secure a spot in the final. Additionally, Porto have won their last three matches against Braga and in doing so they have a massive psychological
edge over their rivals.
Braga
Domingos Paciência has already announced that he will be parting ways with Braga after the final of the Europa league against Porto, thus it will be a fitting sending off for the 42 year old manager if his team best the mighty
Porto. No doubt, Braga will enter the field in Dublin as underdogs. Their last win over Porto came in 2009.
Braga bested Benfica in the Europa League semi-finals as they lost the first leg by two goals to one before winning at their home turf by a score line of one nil.
Minhotos finished their domestic season as the 4th placed team in the Portuguese Primera Liga.
Team News
Porto are expected to field an offensive line up with Radamel Falcao as the spearhead of their attack. Andre-Villas Boas will depend on the pace of his Colombian target man to get the breakthrough against Braga. Falcao will be
supported in attack by Hulk and Valera.
Expected Porto Line up: http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Radamel-Falcao-c30276
Braga will depend on the experience of their goalkeeper Artur and their defender, Silvio to guide them through to a historic win against Porto in the final of the Europa League. Both http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Artur-c6727 and Silvio have played in all of Braga’s
Europa League matches thus far.
Expected Braga Line up: Artur, Junior Rodriguez, Paulao, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alan-c4244
Prediction
Both the teams are well accustomed to each other’s style of play as they hail from the same country and the same domestic league. Porto do hold a competitive advantage over Braga due to their superior squad strength on paper but
in a much more realistic perspective, both the teams are equally balanced. There is a good chance that this match will progress into beyond the normal 90 minutes into the extra time. Prediction: 2-1 to Porto.
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