Braga-Lazio, lineups and where to watch it on TV

Braga, January 30, 2025 – This is a no-holds-barred fight Europa League, both for direct access to the round of 24 and for remaining among the 30 to avoid elimination already in this phase of the championship. It will be a night of passion that of Thursday XNUMX January, the last evening of this phase of the competition, a dramatic night, which however will only involve the transversally LazioThe Biancocelesti will fly to Braga for the last round of this competition with the almost certainty of the top spot even in case of defeat, while on the other side Sporting Braga will have to snatch a victory from the Capitoline team to believe in their qualification in the 24 for the play-offs. Kick-off is set for 21:30 pm on Thursday XNUMX January, for an evening with all eighteen matches at the same time.

Unlike its rivals, the Lazio celebrates the almost perfect path taken so far. With 19 points and 6 wins out of 7 games, the Biancocelesti have been unchallenged at the top of the table so far, the only certainty of a place in the eighth finals and almost mathematically first even in the event of a defeat. Nerves relaxed therefore for this match, which will certainly be faced without underestimating the commitment, but at the same time will allow the coach to rotate the interpreters. Plenty of space for the second lines and the possibility of managing the energies to then dive headlong back into the championship, where two challenges on paper easy arrive against Cagliari e Monza, first then the challenge against the league leaders Napoli. There is a fourth place in Serie A to be made even more secure and in this sense, the lightest calendar in Europe thanks to what has been done in this phase of the championship, will take a lot of the effort off Lazio's shoulders.

On the other hand, the game will be played with the typical desperation of those who have only one possible outcome. Sporting Braga comes to this last day of Europa League with only 7 points, two less than the teams that have temporarily qualified. The Portuguese only have a victory left as a result, then with the right sequence of results, they will have no choice but to hope to hypothesize a return to the top 24. The Lusitanians have already had an Italian clash on their path, the one with Roma, where they came out defeated with a resounding 3-0. Up to now the Portuguese have only scored points against the teams positioned behind them in the standings and to stay in the race it will be necessary not only to break this taboo, but to do it against the only undefeated team in the tournament. A decidedly complicated undertaking for a Sporting Braga less talented than in the recent past. Several experienced players as captain Horta, Bruma or the eternal Joao Moutinho, while the many young talents that have distinguished the past of the red and whites are missing. The terrible kids are few but good, they are to be kept an eye on Roger, winger born in 2005, midfielder Helguera born in 2006 and the centre Arrey-Over class 2003.

The last race scheduled for this Europa League di Sporting Braga e Lazio, with kick-off at 21pm on Thursday 30 January 2025, will be refereed by English referee John Brooks. The assistants have also been appointed, his compatriots Simon Bennett and Daniel Robathan. The fourth official will be Thomas Bramall, also British, while the Englishman Stuart Attwell is ready in the VAR room, supported by the Dutchman Pol van Boekel. The Leicestershire referee's 20th refereeing role of the season, third match of Europa League, to which he adds 11 of Premier League, 2 of Championship, 3 of EFL Cup and 1 by Nations League. First crossing for Brooks with both Sporting Braga, both with the Lazio.

Probable lineups

In the Portuguese house there are two absences, the replaceable one of Olivera, but also the heavy one in midfield of Zalazar, one of the stars of Sporting Braga. In goal Hornicek, favored over Matheus, will be protected by the three-man line composed of Bamboo, Olive tree e Niakate. In the median Joao Moutinho e Gorby to dictate the times, with Fernandes to the right, Martinez left on the lanes. Ouazzani He should be the attacking man in the Portuguese house, while behind him will act Horta e Gharbi, with Bruma ready to take over. 

Baroni is dealing with a team in a slight emergency and could therefore opt for a couple of surprise choices on the pitch. Out are the suspended Zaccagni and Rovella, as well as Guendouzi, who has the flu and is absent from today's training sessions. Lazio. Let's make room for the experiment then Crazy in the median next to Dele Bashiru, while in front of Mandas, the four-man line will be composed of Marusic, Leg, Romagnoli e Pellegrini. In attack Dia is in doubt for the role of attacking midfielder, in his place Pedro is the favorite, with Tchaouna right and noslin on the left to support Castilians.

Sporting Braga (3-4-2-1): Hornicek; Bambu, Oliveira, Niakaté; Fernandes, Moutinho, Gorby, Martinez; Horta, Gharbi; Ouazzani. Coach Carlos Carvalhal.

Lazio (4-2-3-1): Mandas; Marusic, Gigot, Romagnoli, Pellegrini; Gila, Dele-Bashiru; Tchaouna, Pedro, Noslin; Castellanos. Coach Marco Baroni.

Where to watch the match

The match between Sporting Braga e Lazio of the Estadio Municipal de Braga, valid for the eighth day of the championship phase of Europa League, will start at 21pm on Thursday 30 January 2025. There will be several options available to watch the match. The match will be visible on satellite on the platform Sky, to the canal Sky Sports channel 253. The match will also be available in streaming on NOW for those who have subscribed to the platform and on Sky Go for those who have a Sky subscription. You can follow the match by downloading the app on your smart TV or by connecting the television to a PlayStation 4/5 console, Xbox, or to a TIMVISION BOX, to an Amazon Fire TV Stick or Google Chromecast device. Viewing is also possible via the app or website NOW on tablets, PCs and smartphones. The commentary of the challenge will be entrusted to Paolo Ciarravano and Fernando Orsi.