* Braga had conceded just two goals before the strikes from Jardel and Cardozo last Thursday.
* The Archbishops have scored just five goals in seven games since entering the competition.
* Braga's Silvio arrived at the club last summer from Benfica.
* Should the Archbishops win on Thursday, they will inflict on the Eagles their 100th loss in Europe.
* Benfica and Braga have played out 110 league duels, with Benfica recording 72 wins, 27 draws and 11 losses.
* The Eagles are on a seven-game unbeaten run in Europe since the turn of the year, winning five and drawing two.
* Benfica have scored 15 goals in the Europa League this season, but have conceded seven times in seven games.
* The Eagles have won 6 of ten Portuguese Cup matches, with Braga winning the other four.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Braga (4-3-3)
Artur; Rodriguez, Paulao, Garcia, Silvio; Hugo Viana, Vandinho, Salino; Meyong Ze, Alan, Lima.
Domingos Paciencia likes to tinker with his formation, especially in an attacking sense and occasionally switches from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3. Paulo Cesar was suspended for the first game, and has not been included in the squad for this match. Lima played in a withdrawn position last week, but with the Archbishops playing in front of their own fans and in need of a goal, Paciencia might push him up the field.
Braga will have to do without the services of Quim, who is still rehabilitating from injury, and Vinicius, who has a thigh problem.
Benfica (4-4-2)
Roberto; Pereira, Jardel, Luisao, Coentrao; Garcia, Martins, Peixoto, Gaitan; Saviola, Cardozo.
Jorge Jesus is likely to welcome Nicolas Gaitan back into the first team after a period of rehabilitation, meaning that we are are likely to see Carlos Martins and the Argentine storming the wings, supported by Maxi Pereira and Fabio Coentrao out wide. Javi Garcia will retain his place as the anchor man in the centre of the pitch while the devastating duo of Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo will line-up upfront.
Jorge Jesus occasionally switches to 4-3-3, sacrificing a midfielder for a striker so expect either Franco Jara or Alan Kardec to enter the fray if thing do not go as planed for the hosts.
Toto Salvio is definitely out of this game after picking up an injury in the draw against PSV, while Nuno Gomes and Ruben Amorim are long-term casualties.
Prediction
The truth is that whoever score first will progress. Braga have a rock-solid defence and are more than capable to defend a one-goal lead. This game could go either way, and Braga will put up quite a fight, but Benfica superior squad quality is likely to ultimately prevail.
Braga 1-1 Benfica 
