Injury-Hit Braga Beat Red Star 2-0 to Stay Perfect in Europa League

For all the warmth of an early-autumn evening in Braga, the mood around Estádio Municipal had a sharper edge: Sporting de Braga’s flawless European start was on the line and the squad was running on patched-up legs. Ninety minutes later the home crowd left lighter on their feet, convinced that Carlos Vicens’ side can keep dancing in this season’s UEFA Europa League.

A night to reinforce European credentials

Vicens had warned that the visit of Crvena zvezda—better known to Portuguese fans as Estrela Vermelha—would test every sinew. The Serbian champions arrived with ten wins from ten in their domestic league, a goal difference of +34 and a coach, Israeli tactician Barak Bakhar, who openly targeted three points in Minho. Yet from the opening whistle Braga imposed a pace the visitors struggled to match. Ricardo Horta’s disguised pass unpicked the back line for Álvaro Djaló’s opener and Simon Banza’s late header sealed a 2-0 victory that keeps Braga top of Group F with nine points from nine.

Vicens’ balancing act amid injury troubles

Behind the fluid football was a week of headaches in the medical room. Niakaté, Paulo Oliveira, Vítor Carvalho, Moscardo and Grillitsch all watched from the stands, victims of niggling muscular issues that the Spanish coach refuses to rush. “We cannot gamble with careers,” Vicens told reporters, praising the work of the physios while admitting the absences forced a tactical rethink. Midfielder Rodrigo Zalazar, on loan from Schalke, dropped into the back three when necessary, João Moutinho played deeper than usual and 18-year-old João Aragão made a composed European debut, drawing applause with every calm first touch.

Serbian visitors arrive with domestic swagger

Estrela Vermelha’s form in the SuperLiga Srbije—30 points in 10 matches, 41 goals scored— prompted a sizeable away contingent to believe an upset was possible. Bakhar lined up with three former Primeira Liga players, betting that their familiarity with Portuguese tempo would make the difference. Instead, Marko Stamenić’s early booking curtailed midfield aggression and Brazilian striker Rodrigão, once of Gil Vicente, rarely escaped José Fonte’s orbit. A hamstring tweak to Aleksandar Pešić midway through the second half compounded the Belgrade side’s woes.

Familiar faces and tactical chess

Israeli goalkeeper Omri Glazer kept the visitors in touch early on, springing to his left to tip Ricardo Horta’s curler over the bar. Vicens, meanwhile, sprung a surprise by moving Abel Ruiz to the right flank, exploiting the slower turning radius of Estrela’s veteran left-back Aleksandar Katai. The adjustment produced a flurry of overloads that eventually led to the second goal.

What the result means for Braga—and for Portugal

Three group-stage wins without conceding leave Braga four points clear of second-placed Midtjylland with the reverse fixtures still to be played. A single point from next month’s trip to Denmark would clinch early passage to the knockout rounds, while victory could all but secure top spot before hosting Ludogorets on Matchday 5. More broadly, Portugal’s UEFA coefficient will gleefully bank the 0.4 points yielded by Thursday’s victory—small decimals that could preserve a fifth continental berth in 2026/27. The focus now swings back to domestic matters, where Braga sit seventh after an erratic spell. Vicens concedes that “consistency at home is our next frontier,” but the European momentum, he insists, can bleed into the Liga Portugal if the squad keeps its “incredible personality with and without the ball.”

Whether that happens may hinge on how quickly the medical bulletin empties. For tonight, though, the only headache in Braga belongs to travelling supporters weighing 2,700 km back to Belgrade after seeing their unbeaten league heroes outclassed. The Minho club will wake up knowing its best version is good enough for anyone on this continent.