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Champions League Preview: Sevilla – Braga
Los Nervionenses have it all to do to turn around their tie against the Arsenalistas...
| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £26.25 | Draw £32.00 | Sevilla £26.25 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £26.00 | Draw £32.50 | Sevilla £27.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £26.25 | Draw £32.00 | Sevilla £26.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £28.00 | Draw £32.50 | Sevilla £25.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Real Sociedad £26.50 | Draw £32.00 | Sevilla £24.50 |
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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
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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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
-
Sevilla 2-0 Sporting Braga
- 22.69 %
-
Sevilla 2-1 Sporting Braga
- 19.05 %
-
Sevilla 3-0 Sporting Braga
- 14.01 %
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Aug 24, 2010 | Sevilla 3 - Sporting Braga 4 |
|
| UEFA Champions League (UCL) | Aug 18, 2010 | Sporting Braga 1 - Sevilla 0 |
|
Sevilla
    |
||
| Feb 5, 2012 | Sevilla 1 - Villarreal 2 | LIGA |
| Jan 29, 2012 | Malaga 2 - Sevilla 1 | LIGA |
| Jan 21, 2012 | Betis 1 - Sevilla 1 | LIGA |
| Jan 14, 2012 | Sevilla 0 - Espanyol 0 | LIGA |
| Jan 11, 2012 | Sevilla 2 - Valencia CF 1 | ESPC |
Sporting Braga
 |
||
| Jan 30, 2012 | Maritimo 1 - Sporting Braga 2 | POR1 |
| Jan 22, 2012 | Sporting Braga 2 - Rio Ave 1 | POR1 |
| Jan 15, 2012 | Sporting Braga 2 - Sporting Lisbon 1 | POR1 |
| Jan 9, 2012 | Beira-Mar 1 - Sporting Braga 2 | POR1 |
| Dec 19, 2011 | SC Olhanense 3 - Sporting Braga 4 | POR1 |
|
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| 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 |
| - | Renato | Midfielder |
| 10 | José Carlos Fernández Vázquez | Striker |
| 9 | Negredo | Striker |
| 84 | Felipe | Goalkeeper |
| 17 | Silvio | Defender |
| 2 | Alberto Junior Rodríguez | Defender |
| 5 | 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 |
| 11 | Ladji Keita | Striker |
| 19 | Meyong Ze | Striker |
| 18 | Lima | Striker |
| 2 | Paulao | Defender |
| 9 | Elton | Striker |
| Jesús Navas González | |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Squad Number: | 7 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Jesus Navas will be an important source of chances for Sevilla. The World Cup winning winger may not score too many goals, but he provides much of the ammunition for Frederic Kanoute and Luis Fabiano in attack, so if he cannot be tamed by the Portuguese defence it’s likely that los Rojiblancos will create a number of chances, which will inevitably mean goals. When los Rojiblancos were knocked out of the Champions League last term by CSKA Moscow, the 24-year-old assisted on both los Nervionenses’ goals.
| Felipe | |
| Position: | Goalkeeper |
| Squad Number: | 84 |
| Games | Goals | YC | RC |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
In a team overflowing with Brazilians, it’s likely that much of the focus will fall onto goalkeeper Felipe over the course of this encounter. Signed on loan rather mysteriously from an unnamed club, the 26-year-old finds himself in the spotlight immediately, covering from the seriously injured Quim. A highly-rated shot-stopper, he was expected to initially sign for Genoa this summer before the move fell through at the last, while his contract with Corinthians was rescinded days later.
1 
29 
2 
14 
14 
7 
15 
21 
10 
0 
12 
84 
17 
2 
5 
20 
30 
88 
22 
25 
0 
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