The UEFA Champions League Qualifiers match between Braga and Backa Topola is scheduled to take place at Estadio Municipal de Braga on Wednesday at 12:30 am IST.
In the UEFA Champions League’s third qualifying round, Braga will face Backa Topola, with the initial match scheduled for Tuesday night. Braga finished third in the Primeira Liga last season, while Backa Topola secured second place in the Serbian Super Liga. This round marks the debut qualifiers for both teams.
After securing fourth place in their domestic league for the past two seasons, the hosts are aiming to rejoin the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, hoping to reach the group stage as they did last in 2012-13. In the previous term, under Artur Jorge’s leadership, Braga garnered 78 points across 34 league matches, their highest since the league expanded to 18 teams in 2014-15. They trailed Porto by just six points for second place and nine points behind Benfica in the lead. Although Braga participated in the UEFA Europa League last season, earning 10 points in the group stage, they narrowly missed knockout qualification as the highest-scoring team to not advance. Despite European setbacks, Braga impressed with a strong second half, clinching 10 wins in 11 home matches and drawing against Porto.
Backa Topola’s impressive recent journey persisted last season, securing a historic second-place finish, trailing only Red Star Belgrade. Although clinching the league title was a lofty goal for Zarko Lazetic’s team, they engaged in a close battle with Cukaricki for the runner-up position, ultimately secured by TSC on goal difference. The visitors commenced this season positively, drawing 3-3 with Partizan initially and then triumphing 3-0 over Radnicki, ranking third and among the six unbeaten teams in the Serbian Super Liga. Despite their soaring confidence, facing an established European contender as 15/1 underdogs poses an intriguing challenge. Maintaining composure is crucial, aiming to establish a competitive edge for the second leg.
Braga probable starting lineup: Matheus, Sequeira, Oliveira, Gomez, Niakate, Pizzi, Al-Musrati, Bruma, Djalo, Ruiz, Horta
Backa Topola probable starting lineup: Ilic, Antonic, Stojic, Calusic, Cvetkovic, Stanic, Kuveljic, Djakovic, Petrovic, Jovanovic, Pantovic
Braga
| Opponents | Score |
| Nice | 2-0 (W) |
| AS Roma | 1-1 (D) |
| Bristol Rovers | 3-2 (W) |
| Cardiff | 1-0 (W) |
| Boavista | 2-0 (W) |
Backa Topola
| Opponents | Score |
| Radnicki Nis | 3-0 (W) |
| Partizan | 3-3 (D) |
| Crvena Zvezda | 0-3 (L) |
| Radnicki S. Mitrovica | 0-2 (L) |
| Kisvarda | 1-2 (L) |
The upcoming encounter between these two club is going to be their first head-to-head match.
The UEFA Champions League Qualifiers match between Braga and Backa Topola is scheduled to take place at Estadio Municipal de Braga on Wednesday at 12:30 am IST.
| Braga vs Backa Topola | Key Details |
| Date | August 8 (UK) |
| Venue | Estadio Municipal de Braga |
| Kickoff time in the UK | 8:00 pm (Tuesday) |
| Kickoff time in India | 12:30 am (Wednesday) |
Football fans in United Kingdom can catch the live action via discovery+ while those in Portugal and Serbia can watch the match via Sport TV Multiscreen and RTS 2, respectively.
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