Braga host Estrela da Amadora on the final day of the I Liga with fourth place already sealed and Carlos Vicens asking for one last performance worth remembering. The coach said on Friday that Braga want to play a very good match at home, say goodbye to their supporters properly and finish the season with a “sweet” feeling after a campaign that has stretched the squad to the limit.
That demand comes after Braga earned fourth place with a 2-2 draw at Benfica in the previous round, a result that removed any doubt about their position before the 34.ª and final round. Estrela arrive in 15.ª place and still fighting to stay in the league, with only one point from their last six league matches, so the meeting at the Estádio Municipal will close the season for one side and carry survival weight for the other.
Vicens said Braga’s calendar has been “very demanding” since the season began on 24 July in Bulgaria against Levski Sofia in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. He also pointed to the scale of the workload, with Braga expected to end the year on 61 official matches, which would set a record for a Portuguese club in a single season. For the coach, the sheer volume has been part of the story of a team that grew through difficulty and kept its level high enough to secure a place near the top again.
He framed the season as one of contrasts. Braga have been outstanding in Europe, but less sharp in the domestic cup competitions and the league at different stages. Still, Vicens said the same group of players carried the same process across all fronts, and that the heavy run of games forced them to keep going without pause. He said the team reached the Taça da Liga final, produced a strong display there and, despite an avoidable loss to Fafe in the Taça de Portugal, built confidence through the harder moments. He added that he is proud of the squad and that a special energy appeared when the team settled on its ideas in the closing stretch.
One of the clearest selection questions for the finale was answered in positive terms: Ricardo Horta is back. Vicens said the captain is already fit after the injury that kept him out of the last matches, is training normally with the squad and is available for selection. He said Braga did not risk him in Fribourg or at the Luz in order not to damage the recovery, and called Horta a great captain and an exceptional man who makes training a pleasure. The coach also said he is waiting for the national coach to make the right decision about Horta and a possible second World Cup.
The closing stretch around Braga has also been shaped by movement off the pitch. Vicens spoke before the club confirmed Zalazar’s departure to Sporting for 30 million euros, a deal that arrived after the coach had already spoken about a season defined by intensity, endurance and a squad that kept its level in the busiest weeks. That leaves the final home match against Estrela as both a farewell and a reset: Braga finish with fourth place secured, while their visitors arrive with their place in the top flight still on the line. Vicens said the best way to say goodbye is to be themselves, play with personality and give the supporters a last match worthy of the year they have lived through.
