Our prediction for this Europa League match:
Malmo and Braga take on each other at Eleda Stadion in what is expected to be an exciting Europa League game. The Swedish champions failed to impress in the Champions League qualifiers, but thanks to a win over Sivasspor they made it to the EL group stages. Malmo, though, collected only one point in total from the last three league fixtures, and, as a result, they have slim chances of defending the domestic trophy. Given their shaky defence, home win should not be considered. All Dahlin, Lewicki, Nalic, Rieks, and Siby are out of contention with injuries for the home team.
The Reds, on the other hand, look unstoppable at the moment, and given their four-game winning run in Primeira Liga, we are tempted to put our money on the visiting side. Mexico international Lainez is widely expected to return to the starting XI, while Victor Gomez continues to miss out with injury.
Highlighted Player (Niklas Moisander):
Despite playing for Ajax during his youth career, Niklas Moisander began started playing for Finnish side TPS at senior level. However, after making 17 league appearances for the club in the 2002/2003 season, he returned to Ajax on 5 June, 2003. Moisander played for Jong Ajax in Beloften Eredivisie and in 2006 he joined Zwolle.
The Finnish defender signed for fellow Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar in 2008 and he spent four years at the club. In 2012 he returned to Ajax and he started playing for the Amsterdam Arena outfit on regular basis. After making 77 league appearances for Ajax between 2012 and 2015, he joined Sampdoria on March 2015 on a free transfer.
Moisander signed a three-year deal with the club and he played 22 league games for La Samp in the 2015/2016 Serie A campaign. At the end of the season he moved to Werder Bremen. The former Ajax footballer was born on 29 September, 1985 in Turku, Finland.
Highlighted Team (Braga):
Braga are a Portuguese club that have always been in the shadow of Primeira Liga giants Porto, Benfica and Sporting. Os Minhotos were founded on 19 January, 1921 and they originally played in green and white kits. After the World War II they changed their kits to red and they have been wearing red shirts and white shorts ever since.
Braga play their home games at Estadio Municipal de Braga, the stadium that was opened in December, 2003. Os Minhotos have yet to win the Primeira Liga title, but they finished the 2009/2010 campaign in second position in the standings, just five points behind champions Benfica.
In 2011 Braga participated in the Europa League final, but fellow Portuguese outfit Porto proved to be a big catch for Os Minhotos. Anyhow, that is regarded as the club’s biggest success. Vitoria de Guimaraes are considered Braga’s bitter rivals and the two teams face each other in the Minho derby.