Sporting Braga vs Feyenoord Prediction: Steijn to strike

Sporting Braga overcame three rounds of Uefa Europa League qualifiers to reach the league phase, where they take on Feyenoord in their first game on Wednesday (20:00 BST, TNT Sports 5).

Below are my Sporting Braga vs Feyenoord predictions, supported by all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this first-ever meeting between the two clubs, which takes place at the Estadio Municipal de Braga in Portugal.

Team News

Jonatas Noro (Achilles) is out injured for Braga, who could also be without Mario Dorgeles, Paulo Oliveira and Sandro Vidigal (all unspecified).

Amine El Ouazzani and Pau Victor are pushing for starts, having both come off the bench last time out.

Football Odds

Thomas Beelen (leg), Shiloh Zand (knee), Gernot Trauner (Achilles), Hwang In-beom (calf) and Jakub Moder (knock) could all miss out for Feyenoord.

Former Sheffield United defender Anel Ahmedhodzic was sent off in Sunday's 3-3 draw at AZ Alkmaar, but his suspension doesn't apply in Europe, and he remains available for selection.

Today's Football Fixtures

Sporting Braga vs Feyenoord Odds

Braga are 13/10 to win on Wednesday, implying a 43.5% probability of success, while Feyenoord are 2/1, or a 33.3% chance, to pick up three points; the draw is priced at 5/2.

Match Result - Feyenoord @ 2/1

Braga won their first two league games this season but are now winless in their last four, drawing with AFS, Rio Ave (both 2-2) and Guimaraes (1-1), and losing 1-0 at home to Gil Vicente (0-1). None of those three teams finished in Liga Portugal's top five last term, so these are worrying times for Braga, even at this early stage of the campaign.

Feyenoord, meanwhile, are already three points clear at the top of the Eredivisie, having won five of their first six games (D1). Their first dropped points of the season came in Sunday's stalemate with AZ, and Robin van Persie's side were 3-2 up when Ahmedhodzic was sent off in the 90th minute; the hosts equalised eight minutes later through a Mexx Meerdink penalty.

The Rotterdam club finished 19th in the league phase of last season's Uefa Champions League, winning their first two away games, the second of which came in Lisbon, Portugal, as they beat Benfica 3-1 at the Estadio da Luz.

Feyenoord also mounted an impressive fightback from three goals down in their 3-3 draw at Manchester City, and later beat Bayern Munich 3-0 at home. A 1-1 draw with Milan at San Siro in the knockout phase play-offs also showed their resilience away from the Netherlands.

This looks like a great time for Feyenoord to be facing Braga, and they will see this as a game that they can win. At 2/1, I'm happy to side with Wednesday's visitors here.

Anytime Goalscorer - Sam Steijn (FEY) @ 2/1

Feyenoord midfielder Sam Steijn enjoyed a sensational 2024/25 campaign with previous club FC Twente, scoring 31 goals in 48 appearances, including three in Europe (one in a Champions League qualifier, two in the Europa League).

The 23-year-old has already struck three times for Feyenoord, with his third and most recent strike coming in Saturday's stalemate with AZ, as he struck his side's first from the spot.

At 2/1, he looks an attractive option in the anytime goalscorer market on Wednesday, particularly as hosts Braga have conceded in their last five matches.

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