Preview: SC Braga v United
There are few more atmospheric stadia than Estádio Municipal, Braga, carved as it is into the face of Monte Castro quarry. Three sides every bit a tight, sometimes intimidating venue; the other sheer rock with an almost tragi-comic large screen perched into the cliff face. Still, there is no more picturesque place at which to secure qualification for the Champions League knock-out stages – an achievement that Manchester United is seeking at SC Braga in Portugal on Wednesday night.
With nine points from three victories to date, albeit from only marginally impressive performances, United could progress with just a point on Wednesday night. That, however, is a result unlikely to impress manager Sir Alex Ferguson, with the 70-year-old Scot bent on securing top spot in group X. After United’s failure to qualify last season Ferguson’s over-compensation is the least reaction Reds could expect.
Still, Ferguson will make several changes to the side that beat Arsenal at Old Trafford on Saturday in preparation for the weekend fixture with Aston Villa. It is a familiar story in Europe, but unlike last season’s competition United has largely circumvented punishment for rotating the squad in the group stages.
“I’ll be making some changes for Wednesday, no doubt about that,” confirmed Ferguson on Tuesday.
“Obviously we want to win on Wednesday. If we get a win, that’s better as we want to make sure we qualify first. If we win, we’re through to the next phase and that’s the most important part. Braga have a good record at home, but I think we can get the win.
“The most important thing is to go through. In order to win the Champions League we have to play at a really high level. Real and Barcelona are the main contenders, and Borussia’s also one of them. I hope we can be together with them as well.”
Ferguson, however, will still be without injured defensive duo Phil Jones and Nemanja Vidić, while Darren Fletcher and Paul Scholes have been left in Manchester to rest. H
However, Chris Smalling is now back in full-time training and traveled with the squad to Portugal. The 22-year-old in unlikely to start after missing the opening three months of the season with a broken metatarsal, but may feature at some point.
“Fletcher got a little bit of a cold on Sunday, and there’s no point taking him travelling with a cold,” explained Ferguson. “Scholesy, for the last few games I’ve been resting him to freshen him up a little bit. I’m just taking care of an old man, that’s all!
“Phil Jones will start training with us next Monday which is good news – he is making really good progress now. Chris Smalling is with the party and will be involved tomorrow. Those two are outstanding young defenders and it will give us a fantastic squad to take on all our challenges
“That is really good news because as we know, since the start of the season, we’ve been operating on the borderline in terms of certain defenders having to play all the time.”
The Scot is likely to bring Anders Lindegaard back into goal for David de Gea, while Nani, Anderson, Danny Welbeck and Javier Hernández will all hope to see some action in Portugal’s third city.
Meanwhile, Braga will feel confident of taking something from the game after going two goals up at Old Trafford last month. The Portuguese outfit, which reached the Europa League final last season, eventually succumbed to United’s second-half pressure, but not without testing the Reds’ porous defence first.
Braga coach José Peseiro is without Paulo Vinícius and Paulo César who are both unavailable with thigh injuries, although Douglão returned to action at the weekend and could start.
“We need to have some possession but must not attack too hard,” concedes Peseiro.
“It’s not even worth thinking that we can crush United. We showed we could cause them some problems in the first game. The way we switch from defence to attack is very important, but the most important thing is to be consistent.
“Even if they change their lineup, their team is top quality because they have more than one good player in every position. If they win tomorrow, they’ll qualify for the next phase, so we know what’s in their minds.”
Indeed, qualification a day after Ferguson celebrated his 26th year in charge of United will be all the present the Scot needs. In a ceremony at Old Trafford later this month Ferguson will be presented, in his honour, the latest statue erected at the old stadium.
The Scot replaced Ron Atkinson at Old Trafford in November 1986, ending United’s 26 year wait for a league title in 1993. Five FA Cups, four league cups and 11 more championships have followed.
How Ferguson would love to add just one more European title to the two Champions Leagues he has already won in what could yet be his final season in charge.
Match Details
SC Braga v Manchester United – Champions League, Estádio Municipal – Wednesday 7 November 2012, 7.45pm
Possible teams
Braga (4-4-2): Beto; Baiano, Coelho, Dougão, Elderson; Custódio, Viana, Mossoró, Barbosa; Zé Luís, Éder. Subs from: Quim, Micael, Amorim, , Capela, Micael, Djamal, Alan, Custódio, Guilherme, Michel, Carlão.
United (4-2-3-1): Lindegaard; Rafael, Evans, Ferdinand, Buttner; Anderson, Carrick; Nani, Rooney, Welbeck; Hernández. Subs from: De Gea, Smalling, Evra, Cleverley, Giggs, Nani, Valencia, Powell, Young, van Persie.
Officials (all GER)
Referee Felix Brych
Assistant referees Mark Borsch, Stefan Lupp
Additional assistant referees Felix Zwayer, Guido Winkmann
Fourth official Mike Pickel
Form
Braga: WDWLWW
United: WWWWLW
Head to Head
Overall: Braga 0, United 1, Draw 0
Prediction
0-2
Also worth reading:
- Preview: United v SC Braga
- Preview: United v CFR Cluj
- Fergie rings changes as reserves get chance
- Stunning Milan victory caps season turnaround
- Poll: what formation should Fergie play against Valencia?
Tags: Braga, Champions League
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I think we’ve improved since then. I thought Rio played well last few weeks. Not yet confident of clean sheet though.
3-1 United
If Smalling doesn’t make it I hope to god that Carrick isn’t put in at centre back again.
Would very much like to see Anderson in a box to box role this evening. And another goal from Chico.
Evans / Ferdinand need to be centre backs. If that happens, we should be ok
This is my team for tonight. DDG, Rafael,Smalling, Evans, Buttner(has a lot to prove) Nani, Cleverley, Anderson, Young, Rooney, RvP
Carrick + rio prob need a rest so I’d rest them both tonight for Villa away. Carrick will probably play but I’d love to see Cleverley and Anderson start together. Giggs could also start but if he does I hope its on the left wing.
Nani will be key tonight, if he starts. Wipping in delicious crosses for rooney and RvP or Hernandez if he starts. Something Valencia can’t see to do. Needs a couple lessons from becks imo.
Nani whipping in delicious crosses? Valencia not able to cross? You sure you haven’t confused the two?
Tonight is a massive game. So hope Fergie doesn’t fuck around and plays a strong team. UNITED!
Whats happend to Fletcher?
Fletcher is full of cold and Scholes is getting a rest
I’d suggest
DDG
Raphael Evans Rio Buttner
Cleverley Carrick Anderson
Nani Hernandez Welbeck
Should be able to give Braga a good game. Carrick would sit, and Ando / Clevs to go and play. Nani, Welbeck, Hernandez, provide movement and pace up top.
Buy that Erikson kid now!
been ages since we had one of them euro away games where we play 451, get outplayed, carrick plays shite, we then throw on strikers after an hour and nick a 1-0
valencia at right back
De Gea
Valencia Smalling Evans Evra
———-Anderson
——Nani——–Giggs
———-Rooney
—Hernandez—-Welbeck
Down as a diamond on the official teamsheet.
we’ll need to score three
Who is going to anchor that midfield tonight? It will make Anderson look bad if he is asked to do that. We have sent out a team away in Europe with not ONE recognised tackler outside of the natural four defenders. That is incredible.
is scholes on a winter break
Celtic 1 up.
this is more like it, absolute dross, , mess of a team, second best against european nobodies, we’ll change it on 65 mins and persie will score
FFS
should have made changes at half time. Fergie arrogance
rooney in midfield is great
Haha, someone’s killed the game
Good decision
Needs change. The one good chance we had was when Valencia surged forward….
Fuckin hell… what a Mickey Mouse outfit.
Minimum of a 10 minute wait before the problem is sorted, apparently
forgot to pay the bill?
couldn’t score when the lights were on…
Ridiculous penalty as well…
Time to regroup. Still time to salvage a draw….
“Bad play stopped light.”
Quote of the day
Funny from skysports For explanation on the power outage….” did Fergie leave the hairdryer on?”
Oh god they’ve fixed the problem
by the complacent attitude of the united players on the pitch, looks like he forgot it in manchester
Smalling really does look like Obama
This is sooo shite.
2-0 Celtic
Fuck me
Celtic 2-0
Rvpppppppppp!!!!!
thank fuck for that
What is their keeper doing there
ROONEY
Yessssss!
Braga can feel hard done by, but their pen was shite, so fuck ‘em.
Great penalty, he must have been practicing
But that looked like a dive from Rooney
Chelsea nick it 3-2
They were out on their arse for a while, and were outplayed by Shaktar
Nah. Think both pens decision were correct…
Great flick from Rooney to Hernandez
Getting better at this prediction thingie!
4 out of 4 wins is well impressive
Nani went out of the game, United’s attack suddenly got better and we scored 3 goals…Hes taaented and I really root for him to get better, but he’s just not getting better.
Nani was ineffective and wasteful. Anderson was slightly better but was ineffective for most of the game. Giggs came alive in the last 5 mins….
how many times have we come back from being at least a goal down this season…amazing really when last season we looked clueless after going behind
Nani just needs to go – he needs to be the big fish in a little pond and he’s not, he’s one of many and when he has to graft and put in a shift, or play for his place and make the manager sit up and demand him to pick him – can’t hack it. All this ‘potentially world class’ and ‘x-factory’ talk is just bollocks. Matt Le Tissier did just as much ‘x-factory’ stuff as Nani – would you have him in your team over Valencia? Not a fucking chance.
If you can get the money, get rid
yes id have le tiss over valencia
as would any sensible person
hes matt le tissier
I really can’t stand the Rent Boys.
Their pen was ridiculous.
Group winners with two games to go. YES
evans (groin) and nani (hamstring) both subbed for injuries
Have no idea how we won that game 3-1. It had nil nil written all over it until their ridiculous penalty. Then we did not look like we could score until their keeper had a brain fart after Anderson’s quick free-kick had helped release van Persie. Absolutely strange match. Braga were petrified of us in all honesty.
I hope Jonny is not out for long. Thank God Smalling is back. One headed clearance as Braga tried to come back showed what we have been missing – pace, power and bravery. I like him.
He doesn’t like you though, he told me….
x
We have certainly ridden our luck this year. A terrible game in all truth.
We had absolutely no shape and no-one seemed to have a clue what they were doing. I don’t know if that is an excuse for Nani and Anderson’s performances or whether they were just plain awful. I’ve always really believed that those two would come good but last night I realised that they really need to move on now.
Not a good performance, but got the result we needed now we can rest a few players,
So that’s a bonus.
Did Alex, sabotage the generator, so he could have a further team talk.
We were still shit for quite a while after the lights came back on though, like 20 minutes or so, so no
Looked a bit lost without Carrick last night. I don’t think Anderson and Nani were particularly worse than anyone else (pre lights out).
We tried a 433 and we definitely missed having a player ‘in the hole’ as it made us very predictable in attack. If we had Rooney or van Persie up front it might have worked better. Having Giggs as a DLP makes sense, but Rooney was wasted as a shuttler and neither he nor Anderson really understood the role. It’s understandable for Fergie to want to use a 433 in Europe, but firstly, it restricts us to just 3 attacking players and secondly, with almost every team playing a 4231 in Europe, we don’t have to be worried about being outnumbered in midfield. Of the 3 (major) teams that have used a 433, two use a deep forward (ajax-erikson and barca-messi) and the other (porto) use it as their primary formation and are very comfortable using it. We are capable but 4231 makes more sense with our players.