Europa League: Glasgow Rangers vs. Braga Preview, Odds, Prediction

Glasgow Rangers will host Braga in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals. The Scottish champions are behind one goal, which isn’t too much, but it is still quite a gap they need to cover. We’ve seen lots of comebacks at Ibrox throughout history, and the Gers’ fans hope to see one more. Meanwhile, Braga was very good at home, and they are full of confidence before this event. The Portuguese team has played very well in recent times, and for this reason, many see them as one of the potential dark horses in this competition.

Preview

Glasgow Rangers (-110) had a confident performance before the rematch, beating St. Mirren on the road, 0-4. It is something they needed badly following a bad stretch during which the Gers suffered three defeats.

This team played solid football, yet in the second half of March, they slowed down, and to be honest, we don’t know the reasons for that. Rangers have just two wins in the last six events at home, and the most recent game at Ibrox was the Old Firm Derby, which they’ve lost 1-2.

When talking about the efficiency of their games, the team from Glasgow provides exciting events, as seven of the last eight across all the competitions ended with over 2.5 goals.

Braga (+400) has four consecutive victories in the past two, not allowing a goal. The streak started against Portimorense on the road, then continued vs Benfica and Rangers at home, with the most recent game against Vizela also on the road.

Overall, Braga has just one defeat in the previous 10 games, posting six wins, three draws, and one failure. Braga is without a loss away from home in the latest five contests – three wins and two draws.

The efficiency of these events is low, as four saw under 2.5 goals. The Portuguese unit is very well tactically endowed, with experienced players who know what and when to do. Braga is one of the better teams despite not having superstars like some other teams in this competition.

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The biggest blow for the home side is Alfredo Morelos’ injury. The prolific Colombian striker is the biggest weapon upfront, and his absence is very bad news for the Gers. Also, Ofoboroh, Lowry and Hagi are all out for the home crew.

On the other side, Fernandes and Sequeira are both unavailable for Braga.

Head to Head Games

Braga won the opening leg, 1-0. They were better than the Gers, in pretty much all the aspects, and we can say that the hosts completely deserved to win this one. The Gers had luck that the result wasn’t even higher.

Prediction

The Rangers have to use the home-court edge and attack right away. If they allow Braga to lower the tempo, that would be the end of their dreams about the semis. Our pick for this game is over 2.5 goals because of Glasgow’s desire to attack and score. The odds for this suggestion are currently at +110. Even though the bookies don’t believe in our choice, we suggest taking it.

Pick: Over 2.5 goals