Matchday 7 of the 2024/25 Europa League group stage between Union (Belgium) and Braga (Portugal) will take place on January 23 at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. Union vs. Braga: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Referee: Nicholas Walsh (Scotland)
Matches – 6 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 38;
Average yellow cards per match – 6.3;
Red cards shown – 3;
Average fouls per match – 28;
Penalties – 33%.
Predicted lineups for Union vs. Braga
Union (4-3-3): Anthony Moris – Koki Machida, Christian Burgess, Kevin Mac Allister, Anan Khalaili – Sofiane Boufal, Charles Vanhoutte, Noah Sadiki – Ousseynou Niang, Franjo Ivanovic, Mohamed Fuseini.
Braga (4-3-3): Matheus Magalhães – João Ferreira, Paulo Oliveira, Robson Bambu, Roger Fernandes – Jean-Baptiste Gorby, João Moutinho, Ismael Gharbi – Gabi Martinez, Amine El Ouazzani, Ricardo Horta.
The starting lineup for each team in their last match in this tournament is listed.
Union
The club won their last two Europa League matches by a one-goal margin, defeating Twente (1-0) and Nice (2-1). Prior to this, Union had not secured a single victory in the group stage (2 draws, 2 losses). Thanks to their recent success, the team has moved into the playoff zone in the Europa League standings, climbing to 20th place. They are three points away from the top eight, keeping the Brussels club in contention for a direct spot in the Europa League Round of 16. Notably, matches involving Union are among the lowest-scoring in the group stage, averaging 1.7 goals per game, with only Olympiacos having a lower average (1.3).
Three key players will miss the game due to yellow card accumulation – defender Kevin Mac Allister, midfielder Charles Vanhoutte, and forward Anan Khalaili.
- No more than 3 goals have been scored in the club's last 14 Europa League matches.
- Union has not scored more than once in 7 of their last 9 Europa League games.
- The team's unbeaten home streak in this tournament stands at 7 matches (4 wins, 3 draws).
Braga
The Portuguese team lost their last match 0-3 against Roma, marking their third defeat in the group stage (2 wins, 1 draw). As a result, Braga has fallen out of the playoff zone in the Europa League standings, dropping from 18th to 25th place. However, they trail their three nearest competitors only due to a worse goal difference and still have theoretical chances for a direct spot in the Round of 16. It's worth noting their unreliable defense, having conceded in 5 out of 6 group stage matches, with a total of 10 goals against. Additionally, Braga has struggled away from home, earning just one point in the main stage of this tournament, with a goal difference of 1:7 in these matches.
Main goalkeeper Matheus Magalhães will miss the upcoming match due to suspension.
- At least 3 goals have been scored in 8 of Braga's last 9 Europa League matches.
- The club has scored in 7 of their last 9 matches in this tournament.
- The team's winless away streak in the Europa League is 4 matches (2 draws, 2 losses), having conceded in all of them.
Union vs. Braga: Match Prediction
Bookmakers have the hosts as favorites for the upcoming match, and I agree. The Brussels team is extremely dangerous at home, where they have not lost in 7 matches in the second most prestigious European tournament. During this stretch, they have faced renowned opponents such as Liverpool (2-1) and Roma (1-1). Additionally, Union regularly scores at home, finding the net in 8 of their last 9 Europa League matches.
This does not bode well for Braga, who, as mentioned, perform poorly away from home. They also have an unreliable defense, having conceded 10 goals in the group stage, with 7 of them coming in away matches. There is no doubt that the hosts will be closer to success in the upcoming match. Furthermore, the Brussels club recently faced Braga in the 2022/23 Europa League group stage and did not lose to them (2-1, 3-3). The absence of their main goalkeeper due to a red card in the last round will also be a disadvantage for the visitors.
Therefore, my prediction is "Union with a handicap (0)"
