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Braga vs Napoli predicted lineups – Ten years after their last one, SC Braga will play a group stage game in the UEFA Champions League. In their stadium nicknamed The Quarry, the Portuguese side will face the Italian champions Napoli.
Meanwhile, Gli Azzurri are travelling abroad for a European game as champions for the first time in 33 years. They will be looking to repeat last season’s performance in their first Champions League game – a win 4-1 against Liverpool that propelled them to an historic season.
Tune into TNT Sports 4 this Wednesday to watch the maiden clash between both teams in a competitive setting.
Braga vs Napoli predicted lineups and news
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With only seven points from five games, SC Braga are enduring a tough start of the season. Losing 3-1 against newly-promoted Farense days before playing against Italian champions Napoli is definitely not the ideal preparation.
Curiously though, Napoli have their own early domestic issues, as they currently lag five points behind current leaders Internazionale. The biggest concern from the supporters is that moving from Luciano Spalletti to Rudi Garcia might have been a mistake, considering that both coaches have very different styles.
Team news: Braga
During his pre-match press conference, Artur Jorge (Braga’s coach) declared that facing such an opponent has no impact on Braga’s ambitions. He stated that Braga will always start their games with the ambition to win them but that the UEFA Champions League context is different.
Winning in the Primeira Liga is an obligation for Braga, whereas these Champions League games are seen as a way for the players, the team and the club to develop themselves. He also said that the strength of Napoli will require a bigger commitment from his players and a slight change in strategy.
One of the best players from the Arsenalistas so far this season has been Bruma. The winger said in that same press conference that he expects a very strong Napoli on Wednesday. There can be no doubts that his anticipated duel against Kvaratskhelia will be one of the main stories of this game.
Braga predicted lineup
Matheus; Gómez, Fonte, Niakaté, Marin; Al Musrati, André Horta; Djaló, Ricardo Horta, Bruma; Ruíz
Team news: Napoli
Considering that the only unavailable player for this game is Pierluigi Gollini, it is safe to say that Napoli are flying to Portugal with almost all their best players. A flight that has been delayed due to problems with the plane that should have brought them to Portugal.
According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the players have been waiting inside the plane for a couple of hours, in a development that could yet see them more fired up than ever to get that much-expected win.
SSC Napoli predicted lineup
Meret; Di Lorenzo, Jesus, Rrahmani, Olivera; Zambo Anguissa, Lobotka, Raspadori; Politano, Osimhen, Kvaratskhelia
Can Rudi Garcia be sacked this soon?
Rumour has it that Rudi Garcia is already in danger at Napoli, after the lack of quality the team has shown in the last couple of games. They fell way short of their pre-match expectations against Lazio earlier this month.
According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, the relationship between the French coach and his president Di Laurentis is not the best. And it looks like the players as well are starting to question Garcia’s choice.
After being subbed off late in the game against Genoa, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia left the field asking what exactly he was doing. Considering he was the best player on this team last season, this is definitely concerning for Garcia, and might provide justification for those backing Braga’s home advantage to count.
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