Famalicão v Braga

Cast your mind back to the first week of August 2021. Following a season that saw them finish fourth and win the Taça de Portugal Final, Braga was recovering from a 2-1 loss to Sporting in the SuperTaça when they received an offer for Ricardo Horta, the club’s captain and attacking talisman. MLS side Atlanta United submitted an offer of $17.8 million – to be paid immediately – for Horta, and Braga, in an act of transparency, published a press release stating that when the club renewed his contract in 2019, they reached a gentleman’s agreement allowing him to leave for an offer greater than €15 million. It also stated that, after a brief reflection, Horta rejected the offer as “it was not the right time to abandon a club where he feels valued, happy, and above all, at home.”

Horta developed at Benfica’s academy before brief spells at Vitória Setúbal and Málaga, but since moving to Braga in 2016, he has achieved legend status at just 27 years of age. His 278 appearances are only bettered by Brazilian winger Alan’s 345, and he has delivered a career year with 22 goals and 10 assists in all competitions. Despite having nothing left to play for following the club’s Europa League elimination to Rangers, Horta has scored in three consecutive 1-0 wins against Porto – who were riding a 58-match unbeaten run at the time – and Arouca and Belenenses-SAD, who were fighting relegation. If he scores against Famalicão, he will go one goal above Mário Laranjo, who played for the club from 1946 to 1954, and become the all-time leading scorer in Braga history with 93 goals.

Of course, club legend status for Braga only gets you so far. It doesn’t get you the attention of Fernando Santos – Horta’s lone cap for Portugal’s senior team came in 2014 – it doesn’t get you into a title challenge, and it doesn’t get you the same kind of salary you’d find at one of the Big Three. It comes as no surprise that Horta has reportedly asked Braga president António Salvador to reach an agreement with Benfica for a summer transfer. I may be a sucker for a good fairytale story, but you’d have to be a cynic to think that Horta becoming the all-time leading goalscorer in Braga history in his final game for the club isn’t a perfect Hollywood ending.

While I’m backing Horta to score his 93rd goal, I think Famalicão have enough in the tank to get a goal themselves. Rui Pedro Silva’s side have been in impressive form as of late – after drawing 2-2 to Gil Vicente on April 15, they put in a backs-to-the-wall performance against Benfica to take a 0-0 draw at the Luz. A 3-1 win against 10-man Estoril Praia would be enough to secure safety, and the following match, they defeated Belenenses-SAD 3-2 in one of the craziest matches of the entire campaign.

The last time Famalicão hosted Braga on March 15, 2021, Anderson Silva opened the scoring for the hosts within 18 minutes, but a penalty from Horta and a goal from Al Musrati saw Braga take a 2-1 lead going into the interval. It was Fama who had the last laugh, however, as Heriberto Tavares scored the equalizer in the 87th minute to secure a 2-2 draw. 10 months later, Horta put Braga ahead within 13 minutes, but just 10 minutes later, Portuguese center back Bruno Rodrigues saw red for pulling down Simon Banza before he could enter the opposing half of the pitch and break on the counter. Shortly after, Rúben Lima volleyed home a cross from Ivo Rodrigues to even things up, and Ivo put Fama ahead in the 81st minute. It seemed Famalicão were headed for a vital three points in the 89th minute, when both Dylan Babutinska and Riccieli were ushering a wayward pass into the path of their goalkeeper, but a poor touch from the latter saw Spanish striker Mario González sneak in and convert the equalizer.

I’m backing both teams to find the back of the net in what promises to be a thrilling finale between two northern sides from the ‘Minho’ region of Portugal.

---

---

Vitória v Gil Vicente

The final game of the 2021/22 Primeira Liga campaign will take place behind closed doors as Vitória de Guimarães host Gil Vicente at the Estádio Dom Afonso Henriques due to an incident dating back to January 4, 2020. After Franco Cervi opened the scoring within 23 minutes in a 1-0 win for Benfica, the game was stopped on several occasions due to Vitória fans throwing flares and chairs onto the pitch.

The ‘punishment’ comes in a game where Vitória have nothing left to play for. Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the final match of the season would see the two sides fight it out for fifth place and automatic European qualification. However, after beating Paços de Ferreira 4-0 on April 15, Vitória have since drawn 1-1 in three straight matches to Tondela, Santa Clara and Boavista. Since drawing 2-2 to Famalicão on April 15, Gil Vicente would draw 1-1 to Paços de Ferreira before losing 4-1 to Sporting. Their final home match of the season saw them face off against relegation battlers Tondela.

Fran Navarro nearly put Gil ahead within two minutes only for it to be ruled out to offsides. When Gil came knocking again in the 37th minute, Brazilian defender Marcelo Alves elected to grab Pedrinho’s shirt and haul him down before he was able to reach the penalty box, preventing a goal-scoring opportunity and receiving a sending-off.

Prior to the draw against Famalicão, Gil had began April with successive 2-1 defeats to two relegation battlers, both of which had seen Moreirense and Arouca go down to 10 men midway through the match before scoring two goals in quick succession and only conceding to Gil in the final minutes of the match. Eager to not make the same mistake this time, Kanya Fujimoto put the hosts ahead within 56 minutes, whilst Samuel Lino added a brace to secure a 3-0 victory, preventing Tondela from getting a much-needed point in their relegation fight.

Thanks to that victory, Gil Vicente have secured fifth place and will be playing in European competition for the first time in the club’s 98-year history, whilst Vitória, currently sixth, will need Porto to beat Tondela in the Taça de Portugal Final in order to secure qualification to the Europa Conference League qualifiers.

It was Gil Vicente’s first win since March 13, when a late goal from substitute Henrique Gomes gave them a last-gasp 1-0 win against Braga and gave them a fleeting hope of catching Carlos Carvalhal’s side in fourth place. It was also the first time since March 13 that both teams did not find the back of the net. Vitória come into this match on the back of three straight 1-1 draws, whilst the last match-up between the two sides saw Fran Navarro score a brace and Antoine Léautey extend their lead to 3-0 within 75 minutes. The final quarter-hour, however, would see Nelson da Luz pull one back for Pepa’s side, with Marcus Edwards adding another goal from the penalty spot before getting sent off for pulling down Samuel Lino and preventing a counter, as Gil prevailed with a 3-2 win.

Gil Vicente won and then lost 2-1 to Vitória in 2020, before winning 4-2 in March 2021 after Abdul Mumin’s early expulsion. I’m expecting another goal fest in a match that will see Vitória deprived of Mumin following his sending-off in the previous match.

---

18+ please gamble responsibly.

---

Back the Four and Five Star Selections as a Double on Betfair ⬇️

*Bet link only appears when accessing from mobile.

---

Haven’t got a Betfair account? You’re in luck…

Sign up to Betfair and get a full refund if your first bet loses. Grab an account through the offer below and place £20 on the 3/2 Primeira Liga Best Bets Double. Here are the two possible outcomes: