Braga Close to Pulling off Huge Upset
Whoever wins this series will be officially listed as the surprise of the tournament, no matter what happens next. Braga won the first leg, but only by one goal, meaning Rangers still have a great chance.
The Scottish Premiership champions come in as the soccer betting favorites for the second leg at -110, however, the Portuguese side hasn’t lost in its last five road games.
Let’s check the latest news, stats, injury reports, and Europa League odds for Rangers vs Braga. We’ve plenty of predictions for you to consider.
Rangers Ups and Downs
During the Group Stage, Rangers suffered more than expected. The Scottish Premiership champions finished with a 2-2-2 record, six goals for and five against. That was good enough for second place in Group A.
Later, in the Play-off, they pulled off one of the biggest betting online upsets of the current season. They eliminated Borussia Dortmund with a 6-4 aggregate. The crazy part is that they won 4-2 at Signal Iduna Park.
In the Round of 16, they had no trouble eliminating Zvezda Belgrade. They won the first leg 3-0 and lost the second one 2-1.
Domestically, Rangers sit in second place, six points behind Celtic. With only five games to go, It seems they have a better chance of winning the UEL.
Precisely, they just lost 2-1 to Celtic at home, however, prior to that defeat, they went 13 straight home games without losing. Also, they finished with a clean sheet in three of their last four UEL home games.
The home side is offering a -110 price in the sportsbook to win straight up. Not bad considering Alfredo Morelos, the team’s top scorer, is out due to injury.
Braga Against the Odds
Braga also finished the Group Stage in second place. They couldn’t defeat Zvezda Belgrade in Group F.
They picked it up and started to pull off upsets in the Play-off round. First, they eliminated Sheriff thanks to an epic penalty shootout. Sheriff is the team that defeated Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu during the UEFA Champions League Group Stage.
Later, Braga eliminated AS Monaco with a 3-1 aggregate. The Portuguese won the first leg at home 2-0 and drew 1-1 in the second. Another draw would be enough for them to advance to the Semifinals.
The price they offer to win straight up, +325, isn’t the only difference with Rangers. In Braga’s case, the team’s top scorer will be available – Ricardo Horta, who has scored 19 goals. He also leads the UEL assists chart with four. Horta is the main reason for you to consider including the visitors in your soccer picks.
Don’t forget the streak that was mentioned before. Braga hasn’t lost in its last five road games. The team won three of those games and finished with a clean sheet twice.
Rangers vs Braga Head-to-Head
- Previous Matches: 3
- Rangers Victories: 2 (4 goals)
- Braga Victories: 1 (3 goals)
- Draws: 0
Braga won the first leg 1-0 thanks to a goal from Abel Ruiz. Curiously enough, Rangers won possession with 54 percent but didn’t take a single shot on goal. The last time they met at Ibrox Stadium, Rangers won 3-2.
Rangers vs Braga Game Information
- Date: Thursday, April 14
- Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
- Location: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow
- Rangers vs Braga Live Stream: fuboTV
Rangers vs Braga Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Rangers | -½ -110 | -110 | 2½+110o | 1½+105o
1½-135u |
| Sporting Braga | +½ -120 | +325 | 2½-140u | ½-175o
½+145u |
| Draw | +245 |
Rangers vs Braga Prediction
It’s a surprise that Rangers is such a huge favorite. Especially with Morelos out. Don’t misunderstand, it’s a very good team, however, so is Braga, and the visitors have more depth.
The Portuguese side scored in eight of its last 10 road games in the UEL. Rangers can’t afford to speculate; Braga will rely on the counterattack. Both will score, but the total won’t go over, and Braga advances thanks to a draw.
Score Prediction: Rangers 1, Braga 1
