AS Monaco Needs comeback
Braga holds an impressive two-goal lead from the first leg against AS Monaco in the Europa League. Will they see that through here or will Monaco fight back? Find out with our Monaco vs. Braga preview, along with the predictions and betting picks we introduce along the way. You can live-bet on the top European soccer league and competitions by using our sportsbook.
Despite having one of the most talented squads in the French Ligue 1, Monaco is underperforming in its domestic competitions. They are sitting eight in Ligue 1, far behind the European spots and they got knocked out from the Coupe de France losing to Nantes in the semifinals. Europa League is their last chance to win silverware but they have a mountain to climb after losing by two goals in the first leg.
With just one win in their last seven games across all competitions, the odds aren’t good for the French side, particularly as in only one of those games did they score twice. After playing their last four matches on the road, a return to the Stade Louis II could definitely help the hosts. Less encouraging is their winless record against Portuguese clubs. They’ve lost five of their previous six fixtures against Portuguese sides, being kept to a draw in the process. They are underpriced so don’t include them in your soccer picks and parlays.
One of their most important players, Wissam Ben Yedder, has scored seven goals across Monaco’s last eight competitive home fixtures and we expect him to once again find the back of the net on Thursday against Braga.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and Europa League odds for AS Monaco vs Braga. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Braga: Super Disciplined
Braga is sure to be counting its lucky stars as they find themselves in the last 16 after scraping through both the Group Stage and the playoff round. They earned 10 points in six Group Stage fixtures and were the only side that needed a penalty shootout to book their Round of 16 tickets. After overcoming a 2-0 first-leg defeat to Sheriff Tiraspol with a victory by the same scoreline in the reverse fixture, the Portuguese side won 3-2 on penalties in a shootout that saw the two teams miss five spot-kicks between them.
Playing in the last 16 for the first time since 2016, Carlos Carvalhal’s men now face a challenging contest against Ligue 1 side Monaco. The visitors, who are currently the best of the rest in the Portuguese top-flight league behind Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Benfica, have played against French opposition on six previous occasions – four against Marseille and twice against Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain. They have only won two of these games, both of which were on home soil.
Monaco vs Braga Head-to-Head
There’s no reason to talk about the head-to-head record between the two teams as this is just the second mutual encounter between them. However, if you’re betting online, it’s important to note that both teams lost their domestic fixtures with the same scoreline (1-0), but they rested many of their key players in order to have them fresh for this crucial match.
Monaco vs Braga Game Information
- Game: Monaco (0-2) vs. Braga (2-0)
- Location: Stade Louis II
- Day/Time: Thursday, 1:45 p.m. ET
- Live Stream: fubo.tv
Monaco vs Braga Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| AS Monaco | -1 -120 | -185 | 2½-135o | 1½-155o
1½+125u |
| Sporting Braga | +1 -110 | +525 | 2½+105u | ½-155o
½+125u |
| Draw | +330 |
Monaco vs Braga Prediction
Monaco has lost four of their last five games, including the reverse fixture of this tie. Considering the form of both teams, we do not think that Monaco will qualify further in the competition. Monaco has also struggled in front of the net recently, failing to find the back of the net in their previous two fixtures across all competitions. On the other hand, Braga has been very solid defensively. They kept four clean sheets in their last six games, allowing just two goals in that stretch.
Seven of Monaco’s last nine matches and six of Braga’s last seven fixtures have produced under 2½ goals. The goal line is set at 2½ with the latest soccer odds. Monaco will be forced to attack from the first whistle as even a win by a single goal will see them eliminated. Braga with their two-goal advantage may want to sit back and defend but this could be a dangerous tactic. We’re going against the odds and taking the overs, but for our main pick, we are taking Braga +1 as we expect this clash to be closer than the odds suggest.
