📏 Form Guide

Braga

DWWWDW 📈

Braga fans will want a repeat of their previous result, being the 0-4 Primeira Liga success versus AVS.

In that match, Braga had 67% possession and 10 attempts on goal with 8 of them on target. For Braga, goals were scored by Horta (7'), Rodrigo Zalazar (30') and Víctor (80', 83'). At the other end, AVS got 8 attempts at goal with 3 on target.

Their latest results highlight the fact that it has been a great time for the Braga defence. Braga have been miserly, resulting in the number of goals that have flown into the back of their net during their previous 6 clashes standing at 3.

Their prior results show that Braga:

• have not registered a win against Rio Ave in their last 2 league games.
• haven't been defeated in their previous 5 league matches at home.

Rio Ave

DLWLLL 📉

Following on from being defeated in their last game at the hands of Arouca in Primeira Liga action, Rio Ave will be hoping to turn things around here.

In that game, Rio Ave managed 51% possession and 8 shots on goal with 0 of them on target. Arouca got 18 attempts on goal with 7 on target. Esgaio (44'), Barbero (53') and Hyun-ju Lee (66') scored for Arouca.

In as many as 5 of the previous 6 clashes involving Rio Ave, three or more goals have gone in. The average goals scored per game in that spell is 3.5, with the average number of goals for Rio Ave equalling 0.83. We shall soon find out whether or not that trend can be sustained in this game.

Pre-game facts show that Rio Ave:

• haven't beaten Braga in games played away from home for the previous 10 matches in the league. Very poor away form.
• have not won away from home in their last 3 matches in the league.

👥 Head to head

Looking at their past head-to-head meetings going back to 05/03/2023 shows that Braga have won 3 of them and Rio Ave 1, with the number of draws standing at 2.

In all, 16 goals were produced between them throughout the course of those matches, with 11 of them for Os Arcebispos and 5 belonging to Rio Grande . That is an average goals per game value of 2.67.

The last league encounter between the two was Primeira Liga match day 4 on 31/08/2025 when it finished Rio Ave 2-2 Braga.

In that game, Rio Ave had 28% possession and 5 attempts at goal with 3 of them on target. Their only player to score was Clayton (14', 24').

For their opponents, Braga had 20 shots on goal with 9 on target. Roger Fernandes (22') and Amine El Ouazzani (88') scored.

The referee was Fábio Veríssimo.

🗞️ Team News: Braga

It seems likely that Os Arcebispos should employ a 3-4-3 system for this game, utilising Lukas Hornicek, Paulo Oliveira, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Bright Arrey-Mbi, Victor Gomez, Joao Moutinho, Jean-Baptiste Gorby, Leonardo Lelo, Rodrigo Zalazar, Pau Victor and Ricardo Horta.

ℹ️ Team News: Rio Ave

We reckon that Rio Grande could decide to make use of a 3-4-3 lineup, starting the game with Kevin Chamorro, A. Ntoi, Jakub Brabec, Nelson Abbey, Joao Tome, Tamas Nikitscher, Julien Lomboto, Marios Vrousai, Diogo Bezerra, Tamble Monteiro and Dario Spikic.

💭 Prediction

We feel that Braga will most probably dominate possession and create several successful chances.

At the other end, Rio Ave could well struggle to score but we can see them being dangerous for periods.

Accordingly, we see a decent 3-1 win for Braga after 90 minutes.

Victor Martins, 17:05 08/02/2026