Needing to pull off the comeback of all comebacks to keep their Champions League dream alive, Backa Topola welcome Braga to the TSC Arena for the second leg of their Champions League third-round qualifier on Tuesday.
The Portuguese giants strolled to a 3-0 win on home turf last week and will progress to the final hurdle barring a catastrophic collapse on Serbian soil.
Match preview
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With Red Star Belgrade inevitably taking the only group-stage spot reserved for Serbian teams, Backa Topola accepted a historic second-placed finish in the Superliga, edging out Cukaricki on goal difference to ensure Champions League qualification for the first time ever.
However, Zarko Lazetic's men were served quite the baptism of fire during their European Cup inauguration, as their first-leg trip to Braga last week saw the Serbian powerhouses hit for three without reply to leave them on the brink of a premature exit.
Bruma and Pizzi all but killed off any hopes of a positive result for Backa Topola within the first 20 minutes, before Alvaro Djalo put the cherry on the icing on the cake in the dying embers of the contest, as Artur Jorge's men stuck to the task at hand and asserted their dominance with ease.
On a more positive note, Backa Topola have begun their Serbian Superliga campaign with a respectable seven points from their opening three fixtures, deservedly edging past Radnicki 1923 1-0 at the weekend courtesy of Sasa Jovanovic's 85th-minute winner.
Lazetic's side could and probably should have won by more on the day, but they remain on the coat-tails of perennial champions Red Star in second place, which should be some consolation ahead of another potential humbling in continental football.
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Prior to the 2023-24 campaign, Backa Topola's only previous foray into European football was a second-round Europa League qualifying appearance in the 2020-21 season, which swiftly came to an end in a penalty-shootout defeat to Romanian outfit FCSB.
In contrast, Braga's nous at this level heavily outweighs that of their upcoming hosts, as the Archbishops condemned Sporting Lisbon to Europa League football with a third-placed ranking in the 2022-23 Primeira Liga, behind the established order of Benfica and Porto.
Regulars in the second tier of European football, Braga have just two Champions League group-stage appearances to their name from the 2010-11 and 2012-13 campaigns - reaching both via the qualification rounds - but their domestic campaign could not have got off to a worse start at the weekend.
Indeed, Jorge's side were ostensibly set for a straightforward opening-day Primeira Liga win over Famalicao as Ricardo Horta sent the Archbishops ahead with a ninth-minute free-kick, only for Afonso Rodrigues to level the scores before Oscar Aranda sealed a 2-1 win for the visitors in the fifth minute of added time.
Three successive away matches are now in store for Braga as they bid to right the wrongs of the weekend, but a showdown with either Panathinaikos or Marseille for a spot in the Champions League proper is surely on the agenda for Jorge's hopefuls.
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Team News
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With no fresh injury concerns arising from the first leg or their recent domestic success, Backa Topola should enter Tuesday's fixture with a clean bill of health, although Lazetic still has a quandary or two to solve ahead of kickoff.
A 3-5-2 formation paid dividends against Radnicki after his 4-3-3 setup was torn to shreds in the first leg, and the hosting manager could therefore continue with a more conservative approach, in spite of his side's need to score no fewer than four goals in order to progress.
Marko Rakonjac came off the bench to set up Jovanovic's winner at the weekend and could now be rewarded with a spot in the final third, as Backa Topola readjust to life without 19-year-old attacking starlet Petar Ratkov, who has been poached by Red Bull Salzburg.
Meanwhile, Braga lost midfield cog Al-Musrati to injury after 74 minutes of their defeat to Famalicao at the weekend, although it is still unclear how serious the Libyan's issue is; Rodrigo Zalazar is on standby either way.
With the tie virtually wrapped up, Jorge should not be averse to making a few alterations on Tuesday, especially given the manner of his side's disappointing opening defeat in their Primeira Liga opener.
Djalo, Rony Lopes and Simon Banza should all throw their hat into the ring for starts in the final third, while 39-year-old Jose Fonte - a summer arrival from Lille - ought to provide a pair of fresh legs at the back.
Backa Topola possible starting lineup:
Ilic; Djordjevic, Cvetinovic, Petrovic; Cvetkovic, Radin, Stojic, Djakovac, Sos; Jokanovic, Rakonjac
Braga possible starting lineup:
Matheus; Mendes, Fonte, Niakate, Borja; Carvalho, Zalazar, Pizzi; Bruma, Banza, R. Horta
We say: Backa Topola 0-2 Braga (Braga win 5-0 on aggregate)
Even with a few alterations anticipated on Braga's end, the Portuguese powerhouses proved too strong for Backa Topola in the first leg, which should again be the case at the TSC Arena.
The margin of victory may not be as emphatic some 1,800 miles away from home, but Jorge's rejigged side should have no problem notching another couple of goals en route to the playoff round.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
