Major Blow for Braga: Captain Misses Playoff against Austria

Sporting Braga will have to do without one of their most important players in the Conference League playoff against Austria Wien.

Captain Ricardo Horta will miss both the first leg on Thursday (9:00 PM in the LIVE ticker) and the second leg a week later.

The Portuguese club confirmed on Wednesday, after further medical examinations, that Horta has sustained a muscle injury in his right leg. The 31-year-old is expected to be out for two to three weeks.

Next Setback for Braga

For Braga, the loss of their captain is the next piece of bad news immediately before the duel with the Viennese. Previously, the Portuguese favorites were already dealing with a wave of illness in the squad.

Horta is also one of the most defining figures in the club's history. The attacking player has been under contract with Braga since 2016 and has already made 483 competitive appearances for the club, scoring 162 goals and providing 96 assists.

Horta has also made 13 appearances for the Portuguese national team so far. Against Austria, Braga will certainly have to do without the experience and offensive quality of their captain.