Sporting Braga vs Levski Sofia Prediction: All to play for after honours even in first leg

Sporting Braga welcome Levski Sofia to Portugal this evening (20:00 BST) for the second leg of their Europa League second round qualifier. The Archbishops will have been disappointed to emerge with nothing in the first leg, but a cagey Sofia side were good value for their 0-0 draw.

The task gets tougher away from home for The Blue Avalanche, who went out at this stage 7-0 on aggregate to AEK Larnaca in the 2019/20 campaign.

Here are my Sporting Braga vs Levski Sofia predictions on a night where there is everything to play for.

Team News

Braga coach Carlos Vicens will be without promising centre back Jonatas Noro. The 20-year-old is out with an achilles injury since April. An age group international with Portugal, Noro is expected to break out upon his return. One to watch for when Chelsea inevitably pay £90m for him in instalments of seven quid a year until the Earth is swallowed by the sun.

With Portuguese league action not yet underway, I do not expect much rotation from Vicens for this one. Venerable ex-Wolves man Joao Moutinho is the classy midfield linchpin of this Braga side. Ivory Coast international Mario Dorgeles and Jean-Baptiste Gorby flanked him in the first leg for a functional, hard-running midfield quarter. 

With a more defensive bent in the middle of the park, the emphasis is on centre forward Fran Navarro, free-scoring Portugal winger Ricardo Horta and the versatile Rodrigo Zalazar to provide the magic.

Football Odds

Unlike their opponents, Levski are already two games into their league season. The Bulgarian side have won both, despite head coach Julio Velasquez ringing the changes for the weekend’s 2-0 win over Septemvri.

Only three of the side that drew with Sofia in the first leg of this tie started in the league. Svetoslav Vustov, Georgi Kostadinov and Gasper Trdin were the trio who kept their place. Perhaps one or more will make way in this second leg as Velasquez balances the requirements of domestic and European football.

Sporting Braga vs Levski Sofia Odds

Braga are the favourites at 2/11 (84.6% implied probability) for the 90 minutes or 1/16 to win the tie. The markets reflect the overall quality of the Portuguese league, the individual talents on display and the weighting for a home tie. 

But Sofia will fancy this with the scores level. Levski are 11/1 to win in 90 minutes or 7/1 to win the tie. Levski went to penalties in their first round qualifier, another match-up where the first leg had been 0-0. After a 1-1 draw in the second leg, they triumphed from the spot 3-1 against Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

First Half Total Goals - Under 0.5 @ 5/2

Braga are at home and will see Sofia as a team who are there to be shot at. But I am confident the Bulgarian visitors will hold firm for the first 45 minutes at least. 

Levski know their best chance is to look for counters away from home. They limited Braga to just two shots on target in the first encounter. The Blues only had two of their own, but I doubt Velasquez’s men will mind keeping it tight. 

Braga’s pressure will tell, but I think the half time whistle will ring out before that takes place.

Half Time/Full Time - Draw/Sporting Braga @ 11/4

While I expect a cagey contest, particularly in the first half, I do expect the quality of Braga to shine through in the second period.

Often in games like this, one goal can open the floodgates. But even if it does not lead to a free-scoring affair, I still think the likes of Horta, Navarro, and perhaps Amine El Ouazzani or Roger Fernandes if they play a significant part, will crack the Sofia nut. 

I do not see this game going to extra time or penalties. Braga have a wealth of options in attack and eventually they will break the will of the Bulgarian side. 

Acca Flex: Place a pre-match 5+ leg Football accumulator and get a CASH bonus up to 100% if all of your selections win or your money back as CASH if one leg lets you down

You can read all our latest Football Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights content hub.