2021-22 UEFA Europa League Quarter-Finals: First Leg – Braga vs Rangers

Braga welcome Rangers to Estadio Municipal de Braga in the first leg of their Quarter-Final tie in 2021-22 UEFA Europa League. 

Braga booked their place in the last eight after stunning Monaco 3-1 on aggregate in the Round of 16, whilst Rangers fought their way past Red Star Belgrade to qualify for this stage.

 

Team News

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Roger Fernandes and Nuno Sequeira Braga are unlikely to be available for Braga unless they recover from muscle injuries in time.

Rangers will be without Alfredo Morelos for the rest of this season as he recovers from surgery on a thigh injury suffered whilst on international duty last month.

Ianis Hagi (knee) and Nnamdi Ofoborh (illness) remain absent.

 

Stat Attack

• Braga have lost their two previous Europa League meetings against Rangers, losing 4-2 on aggregate in Round of 32 in 2019-20 season.
• Rangers won 1-0 in their only previous visit to Braga in February 2020.
• Braga registered 13 shots in each of their two previous meetings against Rangers but across both matches, they only converted five shots onto target.
• Braga have won both of their two home matches in the knockout stages by 2-0 results.
• Rangers have conceded seven goals in their last five away matches in this competition this season.

 

Prediction

Despite their overall inconsistent form in Europe this season, Braga have avoided defeat in four home matches so certainly can’t afford to be underestimated despite having lost both of their two previous matches against Rangers through poor finishing.

Rangers meanwhile haven’t exactly been strong away from home in Europe this season but after suffering a tough defeat in the Old Firm derby on Sunday, Giovanni van Bronckhorst will expect a strong response but Morelos will be a huge loss up front.

One positive though is that Van Bronckhorst will have plenty of goalscorers capable of bridging that goalscoring gap for the remainder of this season, whilst the Gers surely will hold no fear coming into this match given the tough opposition they have already beaten this season.

I am therefore expecting a fiercely competitive battle but if Braga are sloppy again like in their two previous clashes against Rangers, I can see an away win but a draw would be a solid result.

Prediction: Braga 1-1 Rangers

Result: Braga 1-0 Rangers