Our prediction for this Portugal Primeira Liga match:
Maritimo and Braga go head to head at Estadio dos Barreiros in the opening match of the Primeira Liga round 30. Maritimo are eyeing their third consecutive league win, and a triumph over Braga would see them move one step closer to securing the survival. Head coach Julio Velazquez can count on key players for Thursday’s clash, but this game will be anything but a walk in the park for the relegation-threatened hosts.
Braga, on the other hand, suffered a heart-breaking 1-0 loss to ten-man Sporting at the weekend, with the Lions ruining their Champions League hopes. Carlos Carvalhal’s troops aim to move closer to the Europa League berth, and we are positive that they will go for a win in the Estadio dos Barreiros showdown. Since Maritimo are likely to adopt an attack-minded approach as well, both teams to score betting option should be considered. Defender Francisco Moura should be the only absentee in the home team.
Highlighted Player (Charles):
Charles Marcelo da Silva is a Brazilian goalkeeper who plays for Primeira Liga side Maritimo. Born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on February 4, 1994, Charles started his youth career at Cruzeiro, and in 2014 he moved to fellow Brazilian club Vasco da Gama.
After making nine appearances in the Brazilian top flight for the Vasco da Gama senior team, Charles was loaned to Maritimo in 2015. In 2016 the 185-cm-tall shot-stopper signed a permanent deal with the Portuguese outfit. Charles Marcelo da Silva has 14 caps with the Brazil U17 team, but he has yet to make his debut with the Brazil senior team.
He made his Maritimo debut in the Portuguese top flight on January 15, 2017, in a 3-1 win over Pacos de Ferreira. Charles managed to keep seven clean sheets in 21 appearances for Maritimo in the 2018/2019 Primeira Liga season. His preferred foot is right, and he wears the number 94 jersey.
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.