Braga vs Nottingham Forest prediction, head-to-head and probable lineups - 22 January 2026
One of the key clashes of the seventh round of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League group stage will take place on Thursday at the Estádio Municipal de Braga, where the local side Braga will host Nottingham Forest. Both teams are still in the hunt for a playoff spot, and the outcome of this encounter could directly impact the standings. Here’s a betting tip for this matchup with excellent chances of success.
Match preview
The start of 2026 has been a rollercoaster for Carlos Vicens’ side: confident performances against favorites have alternated with painful stumbles against less formidable opponents. The absence of Rodrigo Salazar has been particularly tough for the Archbishops—without their leading scorer, Braga lose their edge in positional attacks and often get bogged down at the edge of the opposition’s box. In the Europa League, Braga are still clinging to a top-eight spot, but their margin for error is razor-thin.
On home turf, the Portuguese outfit usually try to dictate the pace, but that’s exactly where they struggle most against teams relying on compact defense and lightning-fast counters. Vulnerability on the break remains a chronic issue, and without Salazar, it’s increasingly difficult to cover these risks.
Sean Dyche’s men had a rough start to the new year, suffering a string of defeats and bowing out of the FA Cup. However, in the last round, Forest managed a psychologically crucial result by holding Arsenal to a goalless draw. That stalemate in London showed the Tricky Trees are starting to grasp their manager’s demands and look more assured playing on the counter. In the Europa League, the English side are hovering near the top-eight zone and still have a real shot at direct qualification to the playoffs.
Squad issues complicate matters: Forest cannot count on Wood and Hutchinson, while Zinchenko’s departure is unlikely to affect their play significantly. Nevertheless, the trio of Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, and N'Doye can create danger even with minimal possession - an ideal formula for an away match against attack-minded Braga.
Probable lineups
- Braga: Gornichek, Niakate, Carvalho, Lagerbielke, Lelu, Grillitsch, Moutinho, Dorjles, Horta, Martinez, Victor
- Nottingham Forest: Sels, Milenkovic, Murillo, Savona, Williams, Anderson, Luis, N'Doye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus
Match facts and head-to-head
- Braga will play their second consecutive Europa League match without Rodrigo Salazar.
- Nottingham Forest are unbeaten in their last four Europa League fixtures.
- Both teams have scored in five of Braga’s last six matches and in four of Nottingham’s last six games.
Prediction
Braga remain favorites on paper thanks to squad quality and pedigree, but the absence of their key player severely limits their attacking threat. Nottingham Forest are comfortable as underdogs and have already shown they can disrupt opponents’ positional play. In this scenario, the visitors have every chance to capitalize on the hosts’ mistakes and snatch valuable points on the road.
