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Played
September 19, 2012 7:45 PM BST
Estádio AXA — Braga
Referee:‬ P. Rasmussen‎
Attendance:‬ 15000‎
 
 
Rafael Bastos 19′
 
Rafael Bastos 34′

Braga - CFR Cluj Preview: Jose Peseiro's side look for three points against the Romanian champions

The Minhotos are hoping for three points against a Railwaymen side who haven't won in the Champions League group stage for four years

By Alex Mott

More On :  CFR Cluj, Sporting Braga, Sporting Braga vs CFR Cluj
Hugo Viana (B) - Udinese-Braga - Champions League (Getty Images)
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  PROBABLE LINEUPS
BRAGA
Beto
Douglao, Ismaily, P. Vinicius
L. Salino, Custodio, H. Viana, Mossoro
Eder, Alan, H. Barbosa
CFR CLUJ
Mario Felgueiras
Ivo Pinto, Cadu, Rada, Camora
R. Bastos, Godemecha, Muresan, Rui Pedro
Kapetanos
Sougou

Braga go into tonight's Champions League game with an almost fully-fit squad, and so should name near enough the same side that beat Udinese in the play-off round.

Beto will start between the sticks, marshalling a three-man defence of Douglao, Ismaily and Paulo Vinicius.

In midifeld, Leandro Salino, Custodio, Hugo Viana and Mossoro will be in the starting XI, supporting a three-pronged attack of Eder, Alan and Helder Barbosa.

For Cluj, boss Ioan Andone will be without Ciprian Deac, Adam Vass, Bakary Sare and Vasile Maftei through injury. Ronny is serving a one-match suspension.

Therefore, Mario Felgueiras will start in goal, with a back-four of the Portuguese pair Ivo Pinto and Cadu, with Ionut Rada and Camora playing on the left-side of defence.

Rui Bastos, Nicolas Godemecha, Gabriel Muresan and Rui Pedro will begin in midfield, whilst Panetilis Kapetanos supports goal-scoring machine Modou Sougou.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Braga qualified for the Champions League by beating Udinese on penalties in the play-off round.
  • The Portuguese side will hope to avoid the kind of start they made in 2010-11, when they lost their opening game 6-0 to Arsenal.
  • This is Jose Peseiro's side's first game against Romanian opposition.
  • CFR Cluj are making their third Champions League appearance in five years.
  • However, in their 2008-09 and 2011-12 campaigns they finished bottom of the group.
  • In six Champions League group games, the Railwaymen have only ever won one - an away win against Roma.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Sporting Braga 2-0 CFR Cluj
    24.85 %
  • Sporting Braga 1-1 CFR Cluj
    10.56 %
  • Sporting Braga 1-2 CFR Cluj
    9.32 %
Head to Head
UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ Nov 20, 2012 CFR Cluj 3 - Sporting Braga 1
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
  • Preview
UEFA Champions League ‎(UCL)‎ Sep 19, 2012 Sporting Braga 0 - CFR Cluj 2
  • Player Ratings
  • Match Report
  • Play by Play
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Last Five Matches
Sporting Braga
May 19, 2013Vitoria Setubal 0 - Sporting Braga 1POR1
May 11, 2013Sporting Braga 1 - CD Nacional 3POR1
May 3, 2013Moreirense FC 2 - Sporting Braga 3POR1
Apr 26, 2013G D Estoril Praia 2 - Sporting Braga 1POR1
Apr 19, 2013Sporting Braga 1 - Academica Coimba 0POR1
CFR Cluj
Feb 21, 2013CFR Cluj 0 - FC Internazionale 3EL
Feb 14, 2013FC Internazionale 2 - CFR Cluj 0EL
Dec 5, 2012Man Utd. 0 - CFR Cluj 1UCL
Nov 20, 2012CFR Cluj 3 - Sporting Braga 1UCL
Nov 7, 2012CFR Cluj 1 - Galatasaray 3UCL
Odds
Returns: Braga £1510.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £460.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: CFR Cluj £75.00 PaddyPower Sign up to Paddy Power for £250 in free bets
Team News
Available Squads
-BetoGoalkeeper
4Nuno CoelhoDefender
-IsmailyDefender
26Paulo Vinícius de Souza NascimentoDefender
8Marcio MossoroGoalkeeper
17Rubén MicaelMidfielder
25Leandro SalinoMidfielder
27CustodioMidfielder
45Hugo VianaMidfielder
17ÉderStriker
30AlanStriker
1QuimGoalkeeper
44DouglãoDefender
15Ruben AmorimMidfielder
22Djamal Abdoulaye Mahamat BindiMidfielder
9Rocha Paulo CesarStriker
10Hélder BarbosaStriker
29Zé LuísStriker
1Mário FelgueirasGoalkeeper
-Ivo PintoDefender
8Laszlo SepsiDefender
20CaduDefender
24Ionut RadaDefender
6Gabriel MuresanMidfielder
16Rafael BastosMidfielder
-Luís AlbertoMidfielder
-CamoraMidfielder
9Pantelis KapetanosStriker
17Modou SougouStriker
44Eduard StăncioiuGoalkeeper
13Felice PiccoloDefender
13Matías AguirregarayDefender
-Viorel NicoarăMidfielder
-Nicolas GodemècheMidfielder
32Sasa BjelanovicStriker
-Rui PedroStriker
Players to Watch
Custodio
Custodio
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 27
Games Goals YC RC
8 0 2 0
The defensive midfielder is vital to Jose Peseiro's side. His combative style allows the likes of Hugo Viana and Alan to weave their magic, so although he may go unseen, his industry and reliability means the Portugal international is the lynchpin of this team.
Modou Sougou
Modou Sougou
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 17
Games Goals YC RC
0 0 0 0
The Senegalese goalscorer will have to be at his clinical best if Cluj are to secure one, maybe three, points on Wedensday. He has already scored three in the play-offs, and so could cause the likes of Ismaily and Douglao some problems here.
Prediction
Expect a win for the Portuguese side on Wednesday. They should have more than enough class to see off the Romanian champions, and in the end could get the three point quite comfortably.
Editor's Prediction
Braga 3
CFR Cluj 1
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo
Striker
Real Madrid 		12 0
Robert Lewandowski Robert Lewandowski
Striker
Dortmund 		10 1
Thomas Müller Thomas Müller
Striker
Bayern 		8 1
Lionel Messi Lionel Messi
Striker
Barcelona 		8 0
Burak Yılmaz Burak Yılmaz
Striker
Galatasaray 		8 0

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