Braga v Groningen background
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Article summary
Braga have gone nearly four years without a home win in Europe, with the 2011 UEFA Europa League runners-up out to end that run against Groningen.
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Article body
SC Braga have gone nearly four years without a European home win, but after a 1-0 away success on matchday one, they will be hoping to end that run against FC Groningen in Group F.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition.
• Braga's record in four games against Dutch teams is W2 D0 L2 (W1 D0 L0 at home – W1 D0 L2 in the Netherlands).
• Groningen lost their only previous game in Portugal 3-0 at Vitória SC. The Dutch outfit won the first leg of their 1986/87 UEFA Cup third round tie 1-0 in the Netherlands.
Form guide
• Braga are without a victory in six European home games (D1 L5) since a 1-0 success against Birmingham City FC in the UEFA Europa League group stage in November 2011.
• Groningen are without a win in four European away fixtures (D2 L2).
• Groningen's 3-0 loss to Olympique de Marseille on matchday one was their heaviest European home defeat to date.
• Losing finalists in 2011 – when they transferred over at the end of the UEFA Champions League group stage – Braga have made it to the round of 32 in all four of their previous UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns.
• Groningen are featuring in the group stage of a major UEFA competition for the first time. They are set to match their longest-ever European campaign with their six Group F games, having also played six matches by reaching the third round of the 1988/89 UEFA Cup.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Groningen to Braga is around 1,700km.
• Groningen's Albert Rusnák and Braga's Joan Roman were trainees together at Manchester City FC from 2010 to 2012.
The coaches
• Appointed Braga coach this summer, former defender Paulo Fonseca had a low-key playing career. Having made his name in the second division as boss of CD Aves, Fonseca twice coached FC Paços de Ferreira in the top division either side of a stint in charge of FC Porto, where he was once on the books as a player.
• Previously assistant coach, Erwin van de Looi took sole command at Groningen in 2013; they qualified for Europe in his first season and last time out won their first Dutch Cup. A former Dutch Under-21 international, he played UEFA Cup football with Vitesse, ending his injury-ravaged playing days at Groningen in 2002.
