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Champions League Preview: Sevilla – Braga
Los Nervionenses have it all to do to turn around their tie against the Arsenalistas.
By Robin Bairner
Recovery Time
After such a promising start to the campaign, Sevilla’s season already appears poised to take a turn for the worse – and La Primera Division has not even started yet. Los Rojiblancos need to produce a spirited and effective performance on Tuesday evening if they are to eliminate a Braga side who go into their Champions League play-off second leg holding a 1-0 advantage.
But Antonio Alvarez’s side don’t only have their reverse in northern Portugal to recover from. They are still shell-shocked from the 4-0 beating they received from a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona in the Supercopa Espana on Saturday evening, which was completely merited, as accepted by the coach after the game.
Alvarez, however, indicated whilst surveying the weekend’s carnage that he believes his side still have a good chance of progressing to the Champions League group stage once again. “They are two different competitions,” he mused to the press, considering the forthcoming encounter. “We had a chance to [go to Portugal and] get a good result, but that has not happened. We hope now to recover what is a very important game for us.”
With Sebastien Squillaci seemingly set to join Arsenal in the coming hours, los Nervionenses’ squad is still settling down somewhat, and it would be a significant blow to morale if they were to be dumped out of Europe’s top tier early.
Still Work To Do
The terrific domestic charge of Braga last season under the stewardship of Domingos Paciencia looks like it could be mirrored on the continent this term if their opening encounter against Sevilla is an accurate reflection of what is to come.
A goal from Matheus midway through the second half proved to be the decisive factor in the first leg, and it could even have been more for the impressive hosts, who will have to raise their game yet further in the intimidating confines of the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
“The result was fair, but everything is far from done,” Paciencia explained in the aftermath of the first leg, according to AS. “We are aware of the quality of Sevilla. We will fight to the end to make good use of the 1-0 advantage and I trust my men but the tie is still very much alive.”
Braga should be bristling with confidence after a strong early season run. Scottish runners-up Celtic were easily dispatched in the previous round largely thanks to the cushion a 3-0 first leg win gave them. Despite slipping to a 2-1 reverse in Glasgow, the tie was sealed up nice and early thanks to an away goal, and the Portuguese will again be seeking that most precious of commodities in Andalusia.
A team as talented as they are unheralded, the Arsenalistas will not be in the mood to give their hosts anything cheap.
TEAM NEWS
Sevilla
Tiberio Guarente remains an absentee for the Rojiblancos, while there are concerns over the well-being of goalkeeper Andres Palop and striker Luis Fabiano. Both are expected to prove their fitness prior to the game and be involved in the starting unit deployed by Alvarez.
Sebastien Squillaci is on the verge of completing a move to Arsenal so won’t be involved.
Probable Starting XI: Palop; Dabo, Escude, Fazio, Navarro; Capel, Renato, Zokora, Navas; Fabiano, Kanoute
Braga
At least one change will be needed to the starting XI that recorded a victory last week in Portugal. The unimpressive Miguel Garcia is suspended and will be replaced by Silvio in a move that mirrored a substitution last week. Given that the versatile 22-year-old impressed, Paciencia will not be concerned.
Goalkeeper Quim is a long-term casualty for the Portuguese runners-up, while their other meaningful absentee is likely to be midfielder Mossoro.
Probable Starting XI: Felipe; Silva, Rodriguez, Moises, Echiejile; Vandinho, Leandro Salino, Aguiar; Alan, Matheus, Paulo Cesar
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After such a promising start to the campaign, Sevilla’s season already appears poised to take a turn for the worse – and La Primera Division has not even started yet. Los Rojiblancos need to produce a spirited and effective performance on Tuesday evening if they are to eliminate a Braga side who go into their Champions League play-off second leg holding a 1-0 advantage.
But Antonio Alvarez’s side don’t only have their reverse in northern Portugal to recover from. They are still shell-shocked from the 4-0 beating they received from a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona in the Supercopa Espana on Saturday evening, which was completely merited, as accepted by the coach after the game.
Alvarez, however, indicated whilst surveying the weekend’s carnage that he believes his side still have a good chance of progressing to the Champions League group stage once again. “They are two different competitions,” he mused to the press, considering the forthcoming encounter. “We had a chance to [go to Portugal and] get a good result, but that has not happened. We hope now to recover what is a very important game for us.”
With Sebastien Squillaci seemingly set to join Arsenal in the coming hours, los Nervionenses’ squad is still settling down somewhat, and it would be a significant blow to morale if they were to be dumped out of Europe’s top tier early.
Still Work To Do
The terrific domestic charge of Braga last season under the stewardship of Domingos Paciencia looks like it could be mirrored on the continent this term if their opening encounter against Sevilla is an accurate reflection of what is to come.
A goal from Matheus midway through the second half proved to be the decisive factor in the first leg, and it could even have been more for the impressive hosts, who will have to raise their game yet further in the intimidating confines of the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
“The result was fair, but everything is far from done,” Paciencia explained in the aftermath of the first leg, according to AS. “We are aware of the quality of Sevilla. We will fight to the end to make good use of the 1-0 advantage and I trust my men but the tie is still very much alive.”
Braga should be bristling with confidence after a strong early season run. Scottish runners-up Celtic were easily dispatched in the previous round largely thanks to the cushion a 3-0 first leg win gave them. Despite slipping to a 2-1 reverse in Glasgow, the tie was sealed up nice and early thanks to an away goal, and the Portuguese will again be seeking that most precious of commodities in Andalusia.
A team as talented as they are unheralded, the Arsenalistas will not be in the mood to give their hosts anything cheap.
TEAM NEWS
Sevilla
Tiberio Guarente remains an absentee for the Rojiblancos, while there are concerns over the well-being of goalkeeper Andres Palop and striker Luis Fabiano. Both are expected to prove their fitness prior to the game and be involved in the starting unit deployed by Alvarez.
Sebastien Squillaci is on the verge of completing a move to Arsenal so won’t be involved.
Probable Starting XI: Palop; Dabo, Escude, Fazio, Navarro; Capel, Renato, Zokora, Navas; Fabiano, Kanoute
Braga
At least one change will be needed to the starting XI that recorded a victory last week in Portugal. The unimpressive Miguel Garcia is suspended and will be replaced by Silvio in a move that mirrored a substitution last week. Given that the versatile 22-year-old impressed, Paciencia will not be concerned.
Goalkeeper Quim is a long-term casualty for the Portuguese runners-up, while their other meaningful absentee is likely to be midfielder Mossoro.
Probable Starting XI: Felipe; Silva, Rodriguez, Moises, Echiejile; Vandinho, Leandro Salino, Aguiar; Alan, Matheus, Paulo Cesar
Keep up to date with all the latest Champions League news with Goal.com and join Goal.com USA's Facebook fan page!
Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Sevilla 2-0 Braga
- 22.69 %
-
Sevilla 2-1 Braga
- 19.05 %
-
Sevilla 3-0 Braga
- 14.01 %
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Aug 24, 2010 | Sevilla 3 - Braga 4 |
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| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Aug 18, 2010 | Braga 1 - Sevilla 0 |
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Sevilla
   |
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| May 13, 2012 | Espanyol 1 - Sevilla 1 | LIGA |
| May 5, 2012 | Sevilla 5 - Rayo Vallecano 2 | LIGA |
| May 2, 2012 | Sevilla 1 - Betis 2 | LIGA |
| Apr 29, 2012 | Real Madrid 3 - Sevilla 0 | LIGA |
| Apr 21, 2012 | Sevilla 1 - Levante 1 | LIGA |
Braga
 |
||
| May 12, 2012 | Sporting 3 - Braga 2 | POR1 |
| May 5, 2012 | Braga 1 - Beira-Mar 0 | POR1 |
| Apr 27, 2012 | Braga 1 - SC Olhanense 2 | POR1 |
| Apr 20, 2012 | Paços Ferreira 1 - Braga 1 | POR1 |
| Apr 7, 2012 | Braga 0 - Porto 1 | POR1 |
| 1 | Andrés Palop | Goalkeeper |
| 29 | Abdoulay Konko | Defender |
| 2 | Federico Julián Fazio | Defender |
| 14 | Mouhamadou Dabo | Defender |
| 14 | Julien Escudé | Defender |
| 7 | Jesús Navas González | Midfielder |
| 15 | Didier Zokora | Midfielder |
| 21 | Luca Cigarini | Midfielder |
| 10 | Perotti | Midfielder |
| - | Luis Fabiano | Striker |
| 12 | Fred Kanouté | Striker |
| 13 | Javi Varas | Goalkeeper |
| 28 | Cala | Defender |
| - | Diego Capel | Midfielder |
| 31 | Rodri | Striker |
| 10 | José Carlos Fernández Vázquez | Striker |
| - | Renato | Midfielder |
| 9 | Negredo | Striker |
| 84 | Felipe | Goalkeeper |
| 17 | Silvio | Defender |
| 2 | Alberto Junior Rodríguez | Defender |
| 3 | Moisés | Midfielder |
| 20 | Uwa Elderson Echiejile | Defender |
| 30 | Alan | Striker |
| 88 | Vandinho | Midfielder |
| 22 | L. Aguiar | Midfielder |
| 25 | Leandro Salino | Midfielder |
| - | Leite Nascimento Matheus | Striker |
| - | Paulo César | Striker |
| 1 | Artur | Goalkeeper |
| 10 | Helder Barbosa | Midfielder |
| - | Ladji Keita | Striker |
| 18 | Meyong Ze | Striker |
| 18 | Lima | Striker |
| 2 | Paulao | Defender |
| 9 | Elton | Striker |
1 
29 
2 
14 
14 
7 
15 
21 
10 
0 
12 
84 
17 
2 
3 
20 
30 
88 
22 
25 
0 
0
Results
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lionel Messi
Striker Barcelona |
14 | 4 |
|
Mario Gomez
Striker FC Bayern München |
13 | 0 |
|
Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker Real Madrid |
10 | 2 |
|
Karim Benzema
Striker Real Madrid |
7 | 0 |
|
Didier Drogba
Striker Chelsea |
6 | 0 |