Matchday 14 of the League NOS 2017/18 ends in Funchal, at the Barreiros stadium, with Marítimo receiving SC Braga. There is an interesting duel between two teams with ambitions as to which qualification for European competitions is concerned.
In the 5th place of the standings with 24 points, Marítimo has here a golden opportunity to get closer to the 4th place, currently occupied by SC Braga. A victory in the reception of the “Warriors of the Minho” would allow the insular team to be only one point from the last berth in the European competitions of the next season, objective for which it runs despite having strong competition.
The Marítimo’s strength to play in Barreiros’ “Caldeirão” is well known and the island team wants to turn the year without home defeats in official matches for the championship – kept the mark on “zeros” five times in seven home games. For the “rubro negra” team, the biggest displeasure to play against their fans in the current season corresponded to the disappointment last week, against Cova da Piedade, in the match of the Portuguese Cup that was decided through the penalty kicks ( 2-4). There are six games that the Marítimo does not know the taste of the defeat in the regulation time, but also does not win three. This season, three teams were able to impose themselves on Madeira, always in their respective fields: Belenenses (1-0), Vitória Sport Clube (2-1) and Vitória de Setúbal (3-1).
Pablo Santos, Pedro Coronas and Eber Bessa are injured and are not going to play.
Eleven Probable: Charles, Bebeto, Dráusio, Junior, China, Sen, Cléber, Gamboa, Edgar Costa, Valente, Rodrigo Pinho
SC Braga return to action for the championship after moving to Turkey on Thursday to play in the last round of the 2017/18 Europa League group stage. The “Minho Warriors” did not get the result they had hoped for as they lost by two balls to one, but the goal was fulfilled: the result of the match between Hoffenheim and Ludogorets allowed the Bracarans to finish in the top position of their respective group.
Braga won their last two home games against Feirense (3-1) and Paços de Ferreira (3-0) – their only home defeat of the season was against Porto (0-1 ). Already the last displacement did not run in the best way to the bracarenses that lost with the River Ave in Vila do Conde to the Portuguese Cup by a ball to zero.
The poor beginning of the season has caused many to doubt the real abilities of this team of Braga, however, since then, the training oriented by Abel Ferreira has grown visibly and today has enough capacity to face any team in the national panorama, in with the purpose of the club’s management.
Marafona, Fransergio and Wilson Eduardo are out injured.
Eleven Probable: Matheus, Goiano, Raúl Silva, Ricardo Ferreira, Jefferson, Vukcevic, Danilo, Xadas, Esgaio, Ricardo Horta, Hassan
The balance should be a dominant note in the clash between two teams “top 6” League NOS 2017/18. It is expected that the Marítimo will be able to maintain the invincibility at home.