Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Europa League match.
On Sunday, Feyenoord dropped their first points of the Eredivisie season. Fortunately for the squad, their main rivals PSV Eindhoven and Ajax also failed to win. In the opening group-stage fixture of the UEFA Europa League against Sporting Braga, Feyenoord look to control possession.
Sporting Braga
To reach the main draw of the UEFA Europa League, Sporting Braga came through three qualifying rounds, with warning signs already evident in the first tie against PFC Levski Sofia (1:0 on aggregate). The team are not convincing on the domestic front right now: the 1:1 draw with Vitória SC made it four Primeira Liga outings without a win. The coaching staff are missing four injured players, which significantly restricts selection.
Feyenoord Rotterdam
Despite several sales of key players, such as Dávid Hancko and Igor Paixão, Feyenoord look fresh in this campaign. They were eliminated by Fenerbahçe in UEFA Champions League qualifying (4:6 on aggregate), but Fenerbahçe's quality and experience were significantly higher. Before the away match at AZ Alkmaar (3:3), Feyenoord had put together five straight wins from the start of the Eredivisie. They remain top of the Eredivisie standings with a commanding goal difference (14:4).
Sporting Braga vs Feyenoord Rotterdam Prediction
This is not a straightforward assignment for Sporting Braga. The current form of Feyenoord suggests they will create a host of chances.
