Ahead of Liverpool vs Sporting Braga, Live Soccer TV analyzes the chances of both teams. Despite all their past successes in Europe, are Liverpool really the favourites to win tonight?

Liverpool have a tough task against Sporting Braga in the UEFA Europa LeagueWhat A 1-0 Away Loss Means To Liverpool Against Sporting Braga

At Anfield on Thursday night, all of Liverpool’s past triumphs in Europe won’t count. The Merseyside Reds will be tied up in a 90-minute or 120-minute mission in their own temple.

In fact, the situation is real. Liverpool are on the brink of crashing out from the UEFA Europa League against the minnows from Portugal, Sporting Braga!

Fact 1: Liverpool will be forced to waste more strength by playing extra-time football if they clinch a 1-0 score line during normal time. This is not something they’d like to do since, this weekend, they have a tricky game away to Sunderland (against whom they drew 2-2 earlier this season)!

 

Fact 2: After falling 1-0 away to Sporting Braga in the first leg of their Europa League Last 16 tie, the option of drawing or losing has completely been ruled out for Liverpool tonight.

Fact 3: It’s not any victory that will keep the Merseyside Reds alive in the competition. Liverpool will be forced to secure a 2-goal margin victory if Braga find the net at Anfield. That’s what the away goal rule explains.

Sporting Braga are on the brink of making a giant killing of Liverpool at Anfield

Why Sporting Braga Go To Anfield As The Giants Tonight

No matter how small their history is compared to Liverpool’s, Braga are surely the ones that are better positioned to reach the UEFA Europa League’s quarter-finals stage. They are the ones that have presented Liverpool with a delicate case to win.

They are the ones, among all Last 16 contenders, that are best placed to complete a giant killing tonight. And how so?

Fact: Sporting Braga are a force to reckon against British teams. Ask Celtic and Arsenal about the suffering they had to endure against this Portuguese team.

Sporting Braga have already beaten Celtic 3-0 on home soil. This happened during the early stages of this season’s European campaign – in the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League, actually. Braga also added Arsenal’s name to their list of defeated British teams as they triumphed 2-0 at home to the Gunners back in November 2010.

Liverpool vs Sporting Braga: A Case Of Revenge For Andy Carroll’s Reds

In truth, how did Kenny Dalglish’s men put themselves into such a tense condition? “Controversy” is the answer, according to Liverpool’s manager. Only few may remember Kaka’s disgraceful elbow on Andy Carroll which went unpunished at Dalglish’s surprise and anger.

Who knows how the game may have turned out if the Sporting Braga defender had received his marching orders for swapping his football skills with wrestling? Once again, the debate of fairness has come at the centre of two teams’ fate.

However, Kenny Dalglish believes that protesting too much isn’t the best manner to shame the “guilty ones”, those he calls “Santa’s little helpers” – in order words, UEFA’s match officials. The Liverpool  legend has another opinion, which he shared with reporters as he stated:

Kenny Dalglish has accused UEFA officials for allowing Kaka's dreadful elbow on Andy Carroll to go unpunished.“The best way to vent our anger would be to get a good result [against Sporting Braga].”

Should Thursday night's visitors at Anfield fear about Liverpool's wrath?

Who Believes That Liverpool Cannot Brag Against Sporting Braga?

Well, statistics don’t lie. This time, they reveal that Sporting Braga have a dreadful away record against British side.

In their first game away to a British team, Sporting Braga lost 2-1 to Celtic in the Third Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League. Oh, but 2-1 it was... and they still managed to advance?

It’s normal, in fact, since the aggregate rule exists. Interestingly, a 2-1 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield tonight will be just enough for Braga to make it through.

But has anyone forgotten about Sporting Braga’s humiliating 6-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal? That was quite a hard way for the Portuguese minnows to wake up from their sweet Champions League dream, back in the group stages of that tournament!

Tonight, there will be a feast at Anfield for the home team and for the home crowd if Liverpool succeed in emulating Arsenal's feat against Sporting Braga. That’s for sure!