Azevedo: I Wouldn't Turn Down Portugal

Following the recent departure of Portugal's national football team manager Paulo Bento, rumours have been circulating that Braga manager Armando Azevedo is in the running for the job, which Azevedo claims he has received no contact from the country's Football Association. Azevedo admitted that if he was offered the chance of managing his home country, he would take it in a heartbeat but that connections to the job are just rumours at this moment in time.

The decision to hire Azevedo would be welcomed by it's supporters following last years heroics for Braga after winning the First Division title for the first time in the clubs history.

Although, if Azevedo was offered the job and he accepted, it could mean he could leave his job at Braga, which would cause dismay to Braga supporters throughout the world.

It would be an extraordinary story of success if he took the managers job at Portugal just over one year after taking the reigns at Braga in his first managerial job since being an ordinary supporter of the club before.

Although it would be a dream come true for the Braga-born man, many consider he has unfinished business at Braga.

Braga Draw Man Utd

Following Braga's qualification for the Last-16 of the UEFA Champions League after their 0-0 draw with Atlético, the Portuguese champions have drawn last years 3rd placed Manchester United.

This is not the first time the two sides have met, they were drawn in Group H of the Champions League in the 2012/13 season where they were placed in a group with Galatasaray and CFR Cluj. Manchester United finished top of this group on 12 points, with the runners-up, Galatasaray on 4 points. Braga finished bottom of this group on 3 points.

The last two times the teams have met, Manchester United beat them 3-2 at Old Trafford in October 2012 and 3-1 at Estádio AXA where United scored 3 in the last 10 minutes after Alan had given Braga the lead from a penalty which was given because Jonny Evans had taken down Custódio inside the box in the 49th minute. That game will always be remembered for the 16 minutes added time because of the 12 minute delay caused by a lighting failure inside the ground.

The first leg will take place at the Estádio AXA on the 17th of February 2015 at 19:45 and the second leg at Old Trafford on 11th of March 2015 at 19:45 again.

The whole draw went like this:

Manchester City (ENG) vs (GER) FC Bayern Munchen
Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) vs (POR) FC Porto
VfB Stuttgart (GER) vs (ESP) FC Barcelona
Celtic (SCO) vs (ENG) Chelsea FC
S.C. Braga (POR) vs (ENG) Manchester United
SC Freiburg (GER) vs (ENG) Arsenal
Olympique Marseille (FRA) vs (ESP) Real Madrid C.F.
Galatasaray SK (TUR) vs (ITA) Juventus

December Update

Excluding the 2-0 defeat to Estoril, a very good end of 2014 for us. We managed to qualify for the knock-out rounds of the Champions League as you know from previous updates and stabled ourselves in 3rd place coming into 2015. We've had a few players agreed to join before January so I will show you who they are at the end of the update but lets get onto the results!

Braga 4 - 2 FC Porto

Éder (4)
Jérémy Ménez (39)
Sadio Mané (62)
Lucas Romero (72, 77)
Nuno André Coelho (80)

Moreirense 1 - 6 Braga

Éder (14, 29, 44)
Claro (44)
Michy Batshuayi (50, 53, 74)

Braga 0 - 0 Atlético Madrid

Braga 3 - 0 Nacional da Madeira

Eduardo Vargas (57)
Kadu (86)
Jérémy Ménez (90+3)

Estoril 2 - 0 Braga

Carlitos (8)
Pedro Castro (26)

Marítimo 0 - 3 Braga

Éder (45+2)
Nuno André Coelho (50)
Bibras Natkho (66)





A good warm-up month ahead with some tough fixtures to get ready for the Champions League knock-out round tie which awaits us in February. SL Benfica and Sporting Lisbon will be the toughest games but a good way to boost morale if we manage wins against them.

Player of the Month

Jérémy Ménez



A very consistent performer throughout the season and came very close to earning my recognition in many previous months, but this month has definitely been his best. He's been scoring and assisting for fun in December and is a challenge for every full-back. He's the best right-winger in the league in my opinion, a very prized possession.

Transfers

Bonamingo - €115,000 Uniao Madeira



André Leao - Free Transfer



David Domej - €7,000 from SK Rapid Wien

Why is Pirlo in Braga?

There was a strange air of excitement yesterday as a picture of Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo touching down in Braga was leaked by a press reporter on Twitter.
Joana Guimaraes, who works for the Portuguese newspaper A BOLA yesterday released the picture above.
This has provoked excitement around the town as the prospect of signing the 107-time Italian international got around the city.

Pirlo's contract at Juventus comes to an end this summer and if they don't renew his contract, they risk losing the playmaker which they signed on a free transfer in 2011 following his release from A.C. Milan who thought he had reached his peak and refused to renew his contract following a 10 year stay at the Rossoneri. His recent years at Juventus has said that he can still put in top notch performances at the highest level of the game.

If the reigning Portuguese champions do manage to take the 35 year old's services, it will be regarded as one of Azevedo's biggest and best deals in his time as manager of Braga.

Piano bar Braga

Hello, Andrea. Please, take a seat

Ciao, my friend

Welcome to the city of Braga, I hope you've enjoyed the place as of now?

Ah yes, a beautiful city with beautiful women

Ahaha, I can agree with you on that. But you know why I called you up yes?

Yes, of course Armando.

Before we discuss money and things, I need to know you are comfortable with potentially being our player and don't see a move here is a step down in your career?

Absolutely not, before last season I would have said yes but with you as manager and making moves in the transfer market, this club has a massive potential in the footballing world. I want Braga on my CV

Excellent. I think it's time we discussed your contract then?

Of course, go ahead.

Of course, you will be on a full-time contract because of our professional status.

Yes, I know that.

You will be a key player as you will be our strongest player by afar, and the length of contract will be one year starting on the 1st of July 2015 as I don't want to risk anything that will put the club in trouble. The money is very tight in Portugal.

Absolutely, I understand.

Now, the wage. I know you are on €80,000 or above at Juventus. We must begin negotiating, what wage are you looking for?

Well, my talents are deteriorating with each year, as any football players would, I'd say around the €45,000-€55,000 mark.

That is brilliant, an honest player is what I like.

Bonuses. I'm willing to give you a loyalty bonus of €450,000, an appearance fee of €10,000, an unused substitute fee of €4,000 and a clause of a one year extension after appearing in 15 league games in final season of contract, which will be of course next season.

Sure, that sounds amazing. Where do I sign?
Okay.

It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Andrea.

And with you, Armando.