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CFR Cluj will host Sporting Braga at the Dr Constantin Radulescu on Thursday in the first leg of their 2025-26 third-round UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign. The home side have struggled for results in their domestic assignments this new season and will hope they can find better luck on the continental stage this week.
After comfortably seeing off Hungarian side Paksi in the first round of the qualifiers, Cluj were drawn against Lugano in the second round. They played out a goalless draw with the Swiss club in their first-leg clash on the road before winning the return leg 1-0 thanks to an extra-time winner from Sheriff Sinyan.
Sporting Braga, meanwhile, faced Levski Sofia in the previous round of the qualifiers and, like their midweek opponents, came away with a goalless draw in their first-leg clash. They then got the job done on home turf a week later as they won 1-0 with Fran Navarro scoring the clincher in the 104th minute.
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The visitors will be looking to secure a positive result on Thursday ahead of their return to Primeira Liga action at the weekend.
CFR Cluj vs Sporting Braga Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- Thursday's game will mark the third meeting between the two teams.
- The two teams last faced off in the group stages of the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League, with Cluj winning the away fixture 2-0 and their home fixture 3-1.
- Braga have had four competitive meetings with Romanian opposition. They have won just one of those games and lost the other three.
- Neither side has conceded a goal in their Europa League qualifying games so far this season.
CFR Cluj vs Sporting Braga Prediction
Ceferiștii have won just one of their last five games across all competitions and have scored just four goals in that period. They are considered underdogs heading into the midweek clash but will hope their home advantage spurs them to victory.
The Archbishops won all five of their pre-season friendlies and are on a run of back-to-back unbeaten outings in competitive action. They are by far the stronger side ahead of Thursday's game and should come out on top here.
Prediction: CFR Cluj 0-2 Sporting Braga
CFR Cluj vs Sporting Braga Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Sporting Braga to win
Tip 2 - Goals - Over/under 2.5 - Under 2.5 goals (Four of the hosts' last five matches have produced fewer than 2.5 goals)
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: No (Both sides have found the back of the net in just two of the visitors' last seven matches)
