Ahead of the final round of the Europa League group stage, the away match between Lazio and Braga is attracting attention. However, the Italian side, already top of the standings, have little motivation left, while the Portuguese club are desperate for a win to keep their hopes alive.
Back-to-back defeats to Roma (0:3) and Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise (1:2) have knocked Braga out of the Europa League’s top 24. In Brussels, they squandered a lead and collapsed in the second half, conceding 0.75 xGA and allowing two goals from just three shots on target. On Monday, the club loaned out key midfielder Ricardo Horta to Olympiacos, but in his final match, he helped the team dismantle Boavista (3:0).
Victories over Hellas Verona (3:0) and Real Sociedad (3:1) helped Lazio recover from a sluggish start to 2025. However, they suffered a 1:2 home defeat to Fiorentina on Sunday, despite generating enough chances to at least secure a draw (1.43–0.59 in xG, 22–7 in shots). Something seems to be off in Marco Baroni’s tactical setup, but Lazio remain an entertaining and attacking team.
Even without Ricardo Horta, Braga are expected to stay creative in attack, with Álvaro Djaló and Rodrigo Zalazar likely to step up. Meanwhile, Lazio will want to finish the group stage unbeaten, making an open and high-scoring match likely.
