Sion v Braga background
Monday, January 4, 2016
Article summary
Unbeaten at home in Europe this season, Sion have not played in a springtime UEFA competition game since 1987 as they welcome 2011 finalists Braga in the round of 32
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In the UEFA Europa League round of 32, FC Sion will look to record their first victory in a springtime UEFA competition game as they welcome SC Braga, who have yet to lose to Swiss opponents.
Previous meetings
• The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition.
• Sion lost 6-2 on aggregate to FC Porto in the 1992/93 European Champion Clubs' Cup second round in their only previous tie against Portuguese opposition.
• Braga are unbeaten in three games against Swiss sides (W1 D2 L0), most recently eliminating BSC Young Boys in the 2011/12 UEFA Europa League play-offs.
Form guide
• Sion are without a win in three continental games (D2 L1), but are unbeaten at home in Europe this season (W1 D2).
• Braga's away record in Europe this term is W1 D1 L1 with just two goals scored in the course of those three matches.
• Sion are playing in the spring phase of a UEFA competition for the first time since bowing out to 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig in the 1986/87 European Cup Winners' Cup quarter-finals.
• Losing finalists in 2011 – when they transferred over after the UEFA Champions League group stage – Braga have now made it to the round of 32 from all five of their UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League group stage campaigns.
Trivia and links
• The journey from Braga to Sion is just short of 1,400km.
• Sion's Portuguese forward Carlitos is the most fouled player in this season's UEFA Europa League with 22 infringements against him.
The coaches
• A UEFA Cup finalist with FC Girondins de Bordeaux in 1996, French striker Didier Tholot ended his playing career as player-coach at Sion and took charge of the club for a third time in 2014. He led Sion to Swiss Cup success in 2009 during his second spell and lifted that trophy again last term.
• Appointed to the Braga hot seat last summer, former defender Paulo Fonseca, 42, 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 flight either side of a stint at FC Porto, where he was once on the books as a player.
