Sporting CP vs SC Braga: Lineups and TransfersTactics & Predictions

Sportinguistas is back with another Tactical Analysis article, this time looking at Sporting CP and SC Braga. The two teams will face off in the Portuguese Cup this weekend, so be sure to check out our lineup predictions and transfer tips to see who comes out on top. Sporting CP s.c. braga vs sporting cp lineups  CP has had a disappointing season thus far, losing both their League and Portuguese Cup fixtures. They sit sixth in the Primeira Liga table, just two points above the relegation zone. However, they have some talented players including William Carvalho and Gelson Martins who should be able to cause problems for opponents. In defense, however, they have struggled mightily this season and will need to improve if they want to progress in the cup. They may also be without captain Luisão for their cup tie as he is nursing an injury. SC Braga SC Braga is currently third in the Primeira Liga table, just one point behind leaders Benfica and two points off the qualification spot for the Champions League. They made it to the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup last season and look set for another strong campaign this year.

Sporting CP Lineup

Sporting CP will line up in a 3-5-2 formation against SC Braga. Pedro Proença and James Rodríguez will start at the back, with Dorlan Pabón and Rui Patrício in the center of defense. Renato Sanches will play as a central midfielder with William Carvalho and João Moutinho on the wings.

Up front, Gelson Martins will lead the attack with Aboubakar Kamara and Bas Dost providing support. José Fonte may start at left-back in place of Danilo Pereira, while Fernando Santos may also bench Rui Patricio for Tiago Ilori.

SC Braga Lineup

SC Braga, founded in 1912, is a Portuguese football club based in Braga. They compete in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portuguese football. The club’s home ground is the Estádio Nacional de Braga. SC Braga has played their home games at this stadium since 1967. SC Braga reached the first round of the Champions League twice in a row (2007 and 2008), but was eliminated both times by Internazionale. In 2007 they lost 2-1 on aggregate to Inter Milan and in 2008 they were defeated 1-0 on aggregate by Manchester United.

In recent years, however, the club has been struggling; they finished 14th in 2009–10 and 15th in 2010–11. In January 2012, Luís Filipe Vieira was appointed manager of SC Braga and led them to ninth place in his first season, qualifying for the UEFA Europa League for the first time ever.

Sporting CP vs SC Braga: Head-To-Head Stats

Sporting CP and SC Braga have been one of the most popular Portuguese football teams in recent years. Sport CP is the current Primeira Liga champion and has reached the UEFA Champions League knockout stage twice in the last three seasons. SC Braga, meanwhile, is in fifth place in the Primeira Liga and has made it to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League.

The two teams have met 21 times in all competitions with Sporting CP winning 14 times and SC Braga winning five times. Sporting CP has a slight statistical advantage over SC Braga when it comes to goals scored with 65 compared to 59. However, when it comes to matches won, Sporting CP holds a much bigger lead with 23 wins compared to 10 for SC Braga.

This season, however, things are looking different for both teams as Sporting CP is struggling domestically while SC Braga is unbeaten in their last six matches. The two sides will meet at the Estádio Augusto Pinheiro on Saturday afternoon hoping to take all three points from this important fixture.

Here is a look at how each team has fared so far this season:

Sporting CP: L (1-0) at home to Rio Ave FC W (4-1) away to Feirense FC D (1-1) at home against Benfica W (2-0) away to Vitória de Guimarães W (3-0) at home to Belenenses FC D (1-1) away to Nacional W (2-0) at home to Vitória de Setúbal W (2-1) away to Marítimo

SC Braga: W (5-0) at home to Famalicão SC W (0-0) away to Gil Vicente FC D (0-0) at home against Sporting Clube de Portugal L (2-1) away to Porto L (0-3) away to s.c. braga vs sporting cp lineups .

Sporting CP vs SC Braga: Predictions

Sporting CP and SC Braga will meet in the Portuguese Liga on Sunday. Sporting CP is one point behind league leaders Benfica, while Braga is four points behind third-placed Porto. While it is unlikely that either side can catch Benfica, a win for either side could give them some breathing space.

Predictions

Sporting CP: The Lisbon club has been poor recently and their form suggests that they may struggle to get a result against SC Braga. Juninho Pernambucano and Nani should start, with Bruno Fernandes and Islam Slimani coming on as substitutes. Penalized frequently this season, Rui Patricio may well be absent through suspension.

SC Braga: A win for SC Braga would take them up to fourth place in the Liga table, just two points behind Porto. They will likely line up with Ruben Amorim at the back and Jonas leaving the bench to replace Miguel Layun. With only one loss in their last nine matches, expect them to play attacking football with Jonathan Silva leading the line.