CFR Cluj take on the visitors Braga in the first leg of UEFA Europa League Qualifications semifinals. The match will be played on Thursday, August 7th at Stadionul Dr. Constantin Rădulescu (Cluj-Napoca).
CFR Cluj have remained a consistent presence near the top of Romanian football in recent years. They’ve claimed multiple league titles and often pushed their rivals until the final matchdays. Last season, there was real hope of regaining the crown, but traditional powerhouse and current leaders FCSB proved just a bit stronger. As a result, Dan Petrescu’s men once again found themselves in Europa League qualifiers early in the summer. They’ve already battled through two tricky rounds. Even their opener against Paks wasn’t easy — a goalless draw in Hungary was followed by a comfortable 3-0 win at home. CFR’s domestic form has been patchy, raising some concerns about squad depth. However, their resilience in European play, especially the extra-time winner from Sinyan against Lugano, shows they remain dangerous.
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Braga are used to setting serious — if not title-winning — targets. The Archbishops operate in Portugal, where the traditional “Big Three” dominate. Occasionally, Braga manage to disrupt the hierarchy, but more often they’re the “champion of the rest,” regularly finishing fourth — just as they did last season. This once again sent the club into the Europa League qualifiers. The squad has been strengthened, notably with the addition of Barcelona academy graduate Pau Víctor. In the first round, they were held to a 0-0 draw in Bulgaria by Levski Sofia, and the second leg in Portugal also remained scoreless in regular time. It took extra time for Fran Navarro to finally break the deadlock and avoid the drama of penalties. Domestically, Braga have made a steady start to the new campaign, showing strong attacking intent. Their European experience and squad quality make them clear favourites in this round.
The clubs met in the Champions League group stage back in 2012. Surprisingly, the Romanian side won both matches — 2-0 away and 3-1 at home. The Archbishops are justifiably seen as favourites here. Cluj are not in peak form, and Braga should be able to claim victory even away from home.
Prediction for the match: Braga to win.
