Nacional will look to end their alarming run of defeats when they welcome Braga to the Estadio da Madeira on Sunday, with both sides entering the contest under new management after difficult spells of results.

The hosts sit 16th in the Liga Portugal table with just four points from eight matches, while the Minho visitors occupy eighth place with 11 points after losing three consecutive games before Thursday's Conference League victory over Gent.

Match preview

Nacional finished 14th in both of the previous two seasons, having returned to the Portuguese top flight in 2024-25 but have endured a miserable start to the 2026-27 campaign, with managerial instability compounding their struggles on the pitch.

After collecting four points from their opening two fixtures, the Madeira club have suffered six successive league defeats against Vitoria de Guimaraes, Estrela Amadora, Sporting Lisbon, Alverca, Famalicao, and Rio Ave, going down 3-2 to the latter despite their opponents having a player sent off.

The Alvinegros have now conceded multiple goals in each of their last five top-flight outings, leaving them with the division's worst defensive record after shipping 18 goals while managing just nine at the other end.

Nacional’s struggles continued at the weekend when they were eliminated from the Taca de Portugal following a 1-0 defeat away to third-tier Sanjoanense, prompting Alexandre Santos's dismissal less than six weeks after he replaced Joao Giao.

The appointment of Joao Henriques offers the prospect of a fresh start, although the experienced Portuguese coach may have to wait to take charge of his first match, with caretaker Bruno Abreu expected to oversee Sunday's encounter.

Standing in their way are opponents who have also recently changed managers, with Braga parting company with Carlos Vicens on October 20 after a four-match winless run across all competitions (D1, L3), including three consecutive defeats.

A 2-1 home loss to Gil Vicente proved decisive, ending Vicens's 15-month spell in charge, and Braga have since appointed Franclim Carvalho, who has returned to the club where he previously worked as an assistant to Artur Jorge.

Carvalho made an immediate impact in his first match on Thursday, guiding Braga to a 2-0 home victory over Gent in the Conference League, with Victor Gomez opening the scoring in the third minute before Gabri Martinez sealed the win in the second half.

Looking to build on that European success in Carvalho's first league match in charge, the visitors can also draw confidence from their impressive away record against Nacional, having won five of their last six league visits to the Estadio da Madeira.

Nacional Primeira Liga form:

Nacional form (all competitions):

Braga Primeira Liga form:

Braga form (all competitions):

Team News

Nacional are expected to remain without defenders Leo Santos and Ulisses, who are recovering from knee and ankle injuries, respectively.

Filipe Soares has missed the last five matches with a muscle problem and is also expected to sit out this encounter, while Wesley Gasolina could be unavailable for a third consecutive outing.

Abdel Kader Njoya, who scored twice on his debut against Rio Ave, is expected to lead the line again, while Matchoi Djalo could provide creativity from midfield.

Braga are expected to remain without defender Sikou Niakate, who is still recovering from the Achilles tendon injury he suffered in April.

In Thursday's victory over Gent, Carvalho deployed Jovan Milosevic in attack, with captain Ricardo Horta providing support, and the new manager is expected to retain much of that lineup, although Martinez is pushing for a starting spot after making an impact off the bench.

Nacional possible starting lineup:

Marin; De la Cruz, Goncalves, Ze Victor, Kokolo; Labidi, Baeza; Gavriel, Djalo, Song; Njoya

Braga possible starting lineup:

Bernardo Fontes; Lagerbielke, V Carvalho, Bajrami; V Gomez, Tiknaz, Gorby, G Martinez; Pau Victor, Horta; Milosevic

We say: Nacional 0-2 Braga

Nacional's losing streak and defensive record make it difficult to back them to turn their season around immediately, particularly given the uncertainty surrounding their managerial transition.

Braga will have less recovery time after Thursday's European fixture, but their victory over Gent should provide a timely boost, and their strong recent record in this fixture makes an away win a reasonable prediction.
 

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