Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
Both Celtic and Rangers have struggled for results this season. A week before travelling to Glasgow, Braga defeated Eredivisie leaders Feyenoord Rotterdam (1:0). A positive result at Celtic Park would strengthen their case for a top-eight seeding in the Europa League.
Celtic
Being eliminated from the Champions League qualifying play-off by Kairat (0:1 on aggregate) was a major blow to Celtic’s ambitions; they had clearly targeted participation in the premier European competition. Since then the team have managed only two wins in five games — league draws with Rangers and Hibernian (both 0:0) and a UEFA Europa League draw with Red Star Belgrade (1:1). In Belgrade, Celtic could not hold on to their advantage after a goal from Kelechi Iheanacho, and the opposition attempted twice as many shots (16-8).
Braga
Europa League qualifying provided useful preparation for Braga — they came through three rounds, eliminating Lincoln Red Imps in the final stage (9:1 on aggregate). Against Feyenoord Rotterdam, the squad secured the win thanks to their bench — Fran Navarro the substitute came on to score the only goal — and the Eredivisie leaders generated just 0.27 xG. In a recent Primeira Liga fixture, however, Braga lost to Nacional (0:1), but their main focus now is European competition.
Celtic vs Braga Prediction
The first head-to-head between Celtic and Braga in 15 years is likely to be a cautious contest. Both sides will prioritise the result; the team look the likelier to take something, having performed better in the Europa League’s opening round.
