Europa League: Celtic vs Sporting Braga
Venue: Celtic Park, Glasgow
Date: Thursday, 2 October
Kick-off: 17:45 BST
Sporting Braga head into Thursday’s Europa League clash with Celtic under growing scrutiny, as Carlos Vicens – once a trusted assistant to Pep Guardiola – looks to steady a faltering campaign and prove he can thrive in the managerial spotlight.
Despite an encouraging start to their European journey with a matchday one win over Feyenoord, Braga’s domestic struggles have cast a shadow over their trip to Glasgow. A 1-0 home defeat to lowly Nacional on Sunday extended their winless run in Liga Portugal to five matches and left them languishing in seventh place, prompting criticism from fans and their new manager alike.
Vicens, who publicly questioned his players’ mentality after the latest setback, has also been the target of supporter frustration — including the symbolic white handkerchief protests often seen in Iberian football when discontent reaches boiling point.
For the 41-year-old Mallorcan, Celtic Park offers both an intimidating stage and a vital opportunity to reset the narrative.
Vicens’ path to Braga reflects a rapid rise shaped by his years under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Starting as a volunteer in the academy setup, he progressed to coaching the U12s and U13s before excelling with the U18s. His success there earned him a promotion to Guardiola’s first-team staff in 2021, working alongside one of the game’s most innovative minds.
After four transformative years, Vicens opted to pursue a managerial career of his own. Braga, in need of a new direction following the departure of Carlos Carvalhal, offered him that chance.
The early signs were cautiously promising: a goalless draw away to Levski Sofia in his first match was followed by a tense extra-time win in the return leg. A 4-1 aggregate victory over Cluj in the next round and back-to-back 3-0 domestic wins suggested a smooth transition.
However, warning signs soon appeared. A frustrating draw against bottom side AVS – still their only point of the season – hinted at inconsistency. Braga have since failed to win in four consecutive league matches, including two damaging home defeats, deepening the sense of unease ahead of their Glasgow trip.
Braga’s last visit to Celtic Park came in August 2010, when a 2-1 win for the hosts was not enough to overturn a 3-0 first-leg deficit in Champions League qualifying. That campaign ultimately led to Braga’s best-ever European run, reaching the Europa League final before falling to Porto.
Subsequent European adventures have been less successful. Their most recent deep run came in 2022, when they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Rangers. Last season brought impressive victories over Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hoffenheim, and Lazio, but they narrowly missed out on the knockout stage — finishing just a single goal behind Fenerbahce.
Away from home, their struggles have been particularly stark. Braga collected just one point on the road last season — a draw against Elfsborg — and suffered defeats to Olympiacos, Roma, and Union Saint-Gilloise, as well as a home loss to Bodo/Glimt.
Braga invested heavily over the summer, spending nearly £10.5 million on Spanish striker Pau Victor from Barcelona and around £9.6 million on Ivorian midfielder Mario Dorgeles from Nordsjaelland. Yet both signings have yet to make a decisive impact — Victor remains goalless, while Dorgeles has missed the last five matches and may not feature in Glasgow.
One subplot will be the return of Gustaf Lagerbielke to Celtic Park. The Swedish centre-back departed the Scottish champions in the summer after just 10 appearances under Brendan Rodgers. Now a near ever-present in Vicens’ back line, he will be determined to frustrate his former club under the lights on Thursday night.
For Vicens, Celtic Park represents more than just another Europa League group-stage match. It is a crucial examination of his credentials as a head coach — a chance to silence critics, arrest Braga’s decline, and demonstrate that Guardiola’s former understudy can thrive without his mentor’s shadow.
A result in Glasgow would not only revitalise Braga’s European ambitions but could also mark the moment Vicens steps out from apprentice to architect in his own right.
