SC Braga vs Napoli Preview: Probable Lineups, Prediction, Tactics, Team News & Key Stats

Napoli will look to kick-start the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League campaign strongly when they meet SC Braga at Estadio Municipal de Braga on Wednesday.

Matchday 1 of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage will end on Wednesday. Napoli will take the field to kick-start the campaign in Europe, and they will lock horns with SC Braga at Estadio Municipal de Braga.

SC Braga finished third in the Primeira Liga last season, which earned them a playoff spot to reach the UEFA Champions League group stage. And Artur Jorge’s men had to take the scenic route to qualify for the main draw. But they have won only two of their five league games thus far to sit in the 8th spot on the table.

On the other hand, Napoli secured automatic qualification to the UEFA Champions League after winning the Serie A title last season. But the Italian giants have not been at their best since losing Luciano Spalletti. Rudi Garcia replaced the Italian tactician, but he has not had the Midas Touch, with the visitors failing to win their last two games.

Wednesday’s clash will be the first-ever match to feature SC Braga against Napoli. And The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the maiden meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

SC Braga

🎮 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 to start 🌟#PorMais | #UCL pic.twitter.com/3kKa4fAclE

— SC Braga (@SCBragaOficial) September 19, 2023

Artur Jorge does not have many roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s UEFA Champions League bow this season. Against Napoli on Wednesday, the SC Braga manager will be without only one first-team player, with Sikou Niakate on the sidelines.

Braga will likely line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation this midweek, with Matheus Magalhaes taking his spot between the sticks. Meanwhile, the backline should see Jose Fonte and Paulo Oliveira forming the central defensive partnership. Victor Gomez and Cristian Borja will be the two full-backs.

Summer signing and veteran midfielder Joao Moutinho will likely join Al Musrati in the double pivot. The duo will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, enabling the four attackers to play with more freedom.

Ricardo Horta, Alvaro Djalo, and Bruma will be the main men for Braga, looking to run the show in the final third. Finally, Simon Banza will spearhead the home team’s attack against Napoli on Wednesday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Matheus; Gomez, Oliveira, Fonte, Borja; Moutinho, Musrati; Horta, Djalo, Bruma; Banza

Napoli

Like his counterpart in the SC Braga dugout, Rudi Garcia barely has any concerns to deal with ahead of the trip to Estadio Municipal de Braga. The Napoli manager will be without only one first-team player on Wednesday, with Pierluigi Gollini recovering from a hand injury.

But Gollini’s absence is not a concern, with Alex Meret being an automatic pick between the sticks. Napoli will line up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of the Italian international, with Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Juan Jesus, Leo Ostigard, and Mathias Olivera completing the backline.

📃 I convocati di #BragaNapoli#UCL
💙 #ForzaNapoliSempre pic.twitter.com/yEnVvJ9vsA

— Official SSC Napoli (@sscnapoli) September 19, 2023

Stanislav Lobotka will be responsible for thwarting Braga’s attacks, looking to provide a solid cover to the backline. Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Piotr Zielinski will support Lobotka, but they will primarily aim to provide the forward thrust from the middle of the park.

As for the offensive unit, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been struggling to stamp his authority this season. But the Georgian international will retain his spot in the final third, joining Victor Osimhen and Matteo Politano in the attack.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Meret; Di Lorenzo, Jesus, Ostigard, Olivera; Zielinski, Lobotka, Anguissa; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia

Key Stats

• Wednesday’s fixture will be the first-ever meeting between SC Braga and Napoli.
• SC Braga have lost their last four games against Italian opponents in all competitions, most recently twice against Fiorentina in last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League.
• Napoli have won their last two matches against Portuguese clubs, beating Benfica home and away in the group stage of the 2016/17 Champions League. They have never managed three consecutive wins versus Portuguese opponents.
• Napoli have won four of their last ten away European matches, losing three, including two of the last three.
• None of SC Braga’s 12 UEFA Champions League games have ended in a draw (W4 L8). That is the most any team has played in the competition without finishing level in an outing.

Player to Watch

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Embed from Getty Images

Kvaratskhelia was an unstoppable force for Napoli last season and combined with Victor Osimhen to deliver the Serie A title. But his performance levels have plummeted at the onset of the new season. And he was already showing a worrying trend towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign.

The 22-year-old is seemingly overdoing his thing in the final third, thus stopping him from making his mark. But his stock remains high, with high-profile clubs like Manchester United keen. And the time is now for Kvaratskhelia to deliver the goods and script a turnaround for Napoli.

Prediction

SC Braga 1-2 Napoli

Neither team has been in convincing enough form for us to predict a resounding victory for one side. But with both the defensive units struggling to be formidable, Wednesday’s match should see considerable goalmouth action.

Braga’s attackers have been in form this season, and they will trouble Alex Meret. But Victor Osimhen will be determined to deliver the goods for Napoli, and the Nigerian international should singlehandedly hand his team the three points on Wednesday. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the Partenopei.