Sporting Braga and Estoril Praia fight for the trophy, knocking out the big boys

Sporting Braga and Estoril Praia compete this Saturday in Leiria in the final of the 17th edition of the Football League Cup, only the second without big players, while Braga fans seek their third trophy against newcomers Canarinhos. .

Minho’s team, which won the trophy in the 2012/2013 and 2019/20 seasons, competes in its fifth final of the competition against the Cascais team, which reached the final four for the first time.

Starting at 19:45 at the Estadio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, under the refereeing of Fabio Verissimo of the Leiria Association, Sporting Braga and Estoril Praia will play only the second final, without the participation of any of the three big players. , seven years after Moreirense won the trophy in the Algarve against Braga.

Sporting Braga, who beat Sporting CP 1-0 in their ninth semi-final on Tuesday, will face their fifth final after their previous four matches ended 1-0, twice in their favour, both against Porto. in the 2012/13 season and in the 2012/13 season. In the 2019/20 season, as well as two more defeats: against Moreirense in the 2016/17 season and against Sporting in the 2020/21 season.

This time the opponent will be Estoril Praia, who left Porto in the group stage, in which they beat the Blue and Whites at home with a score of 3:1, and Benfica in the semi-finals, in a penalty shootout. (5-4 after 1-1), becoming the 11th club to reach the final of the tournament.

Winger Rodrigo Gomes is a definite absence from the Vasco Seabra-led team as he is on loan from Sporting de Braga, while Arthur Jorge will be without Portugal international Bruma, who will undergo surgery on his right knee, or Niacate and Banza. compete in the Africa Cup of Nations for Mali and Congo respectively.

Sporting Braga can win their seventh football trophy on Saturday if they beat Estoril Praia in the final and become the 18th Portuguese club to win the trophy in their history.