Our prediction for this Portugal Primeira Liga match:
Braga and Santa Clara face each other at Estadio Municipal de Braga in the closing match of Primeira Liga round 24. Braga quickly bounced back from a 2-1 loss to Vitoria Guimaraes, with the team beating both Ferreira and Tondela in the previous two league fixtures. Carlos Carvalhal’s men are a real force to be reckoned with at home, but they will have to prove their worth on the field.
Both Lucas Mineiro and Nuno Sequeira are sidelined with injuries for the home team. Santa Clara, on the other hand, failed to win the previous three league fixtures. Os Acoreanos are not regarded as good travelers, and, taking everything into account, they are unlikely to claim a major scalp on Matchday 24. Midfielder Costinha misses out with injury, but he should be the only absentee in the away side. When the two teams met in the Taca de Portugal in November 2021 Braga crushed Santa Clara 6-0.
Highlighted Player (Ricardo Horta):
Ricardo Horta is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Sporting Braga in Primeira Liga. Born in Sobreda, Portugal, on September 15, 1994, Ricardo Horta spent his youth career at Ginasio Corroios, Benfica, and Vitoria Setubal.
The 173-cm-tall winger continued playing for Setubal at the senior level, but he moved to Malaga in the summer of 2014, signing a five-year deal with the La Liga outfit. Ricardo Horta scored only one goal in 48 appearances for los Boquerones in the Spanish top flight before signing a loan deal with Braga. In July 2017, he signed a permanent contract with the Minhotos.
Ricardo Horta made his Primeira Liga debut against Rio Ave back in April 2013, during his spell with Vitoria Setubal. His primary position is left winger, but he is capable of producing good performances as a right winger as well. He made his Portugal debut in a 1-0 loss to Albania in the Euro 2016 qualifiers.
Highlighted Team (Santa Clara):
Santa Clara are a professional football club that compete in the Portuguese Primeira Liga. Os Acoreanos (The Azoreans) play their home games at Estadio de Sao Miguel, the venue which can hold up to 13,277 people.
Estadio de Sao Miguel was built in 1930. Santa Clara are the only team from the Azores Islands to compete in the Primeira Liga. Os Acoreanos are well known for its close connection with famoust Portuguese club Benfica, with the two teams sharing the very same crest until recently.
Santa Clara wear red shirts and white shorts when playing at home ground, whilst white is the dominant colour of their away kit. Os Acoreanos participated in the Intertoto Cup in the 2002/2003 season, with the team beating FC Shirak in round 1 5-3 on aggregate, while suffering a loss to Teplice 2-9 on agg. in round 2. CD Operario from Lagao are considered Santa Clara’s fiercest rivals.