The excitement is building! Braga is ready to kick off their 2025-26 Primeira Liga season this weekend, and they'll be hosting newly promoted Tondela at the Estadio Municipal de Braga.
Last season, the Archbishops once again fell short of the top three, finishing fourth after a disappointing end to the campaign where they failed to win any of their final four matches. That's a spot they'll be keen to improve on, especially since they've only managed to break into the top three twice in the last eight seasons, a league often dominated by Sporting Lisbon, Porto, and Benfica.
To help them make a stronger push, Braga has a new man in charge. Carlos Carvalhal stepped down, and the team brought in Carlos Vicens. The Spanish coach has made a great impression so far, leading the team to five straight wins in pre-season friendlies.
The team is also looking sharp in their Europa League qualifiers, recently beating Bulgarian side Levski Sofia and securing a 2-1 away win against CFR Cluj.
With the return leg against Cluj on the horizon, Braga will be fired up to deliver a strong performance for their fans in the league opener. Confidence should be high, especially since they've won their last four matchups against Tondela.
For Tondela, this is their first top-flight game since being relegated after the 2021-22 season. The Gold and Greens fought their way back to the Primeira Liga by winning Liga Portugal 2 last season.
While their former manager Luis Pinto has moved on, new boss Ivo Vieira has had a solid start, guiding his team to three wins and a draw in pre-season. However, Vieira has admitted the squad is still a work in progress, so even a single point against Braga would be a huge result for them.
