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The Meeting

Midway through pre-match meeting with the squad

...Saint-Etienne, they're crap! Just break them down, flank the wings and Éder knows where to be in the box, bam goal. All you hav-

Assistant Manager, Fernando Couto: Boss, Mr. Salvador wants to speak to you.

Azevedo: Ok, can you take over this meeting? I told you about the tactics for the Saint-Etienne game didn't I?

Couto: Yeah, sure, seeya boss.

This is it. I looked up onto the beautifully polished golden plate on the wooden door which read:

Chairman
António Salvador

I knocked on the door, nervously shaking. This is it.



Salvador: Ah! Armando! Come in, come in!

Azevedo: Thank you sir.

Salvador: Do you know why I called this meeting?

Azevedo: No, sir (I did, just didn't want to sound cocky)

Salvador: Honestly? Don't know if you are aware but your contract runs out in a few months, It's my honour to offer you to talks for a new deal?

Azevedo: My pleasure. You know how much I love this club.

Salvador: Brilliant, before we talk contracts and all that bollocks, we need to talk about the boards vision first, if that's ok?

Azevedo: Sure. Absolutely. Yeah. Go for it!

Salvador: As you know, you have a limited transfer budget at this moment in time, so for now the budget is set at £1.2 million but that will change next season.

Azevedo: Yeah, that's fine. Don't want to sound cheeky but do you know what estimated transfer budget next season will be?

Salvador: It will definitely be over £10 million. I'll guarantee, but the higher the budget, the higher the expectation. If I'm to offer you £10 million plus, I want you to win the league. I believe this is capable because you're a great manager, coach, motivator. I wouldn't be offering you a new contract or £10 million plus to spend if I didn't.

Azevedo: Thanks, Mr. Salvador.

Salvador: Great, so now I'm going to put an offer on the table.



Of course, the relegation wage drop is extremely unlikely with you in charge but is put in place to save money if the unexpected does happen.

Azevedo: I'm speechless. Where's the pen?

New Arsenalista's: Fernando Jorge Abreu

It's youth intake day for most European clubs around the world today and at Braga we have our very own future superstar on our hands, his name goes by Fernando Jorge Abreu, who was born in the small town of Vila do Prado and we at SuperBraga have managed to get hold of him for an interview!

Hello Fernando!

Hello SuperBraga!

You had a great game today in the Youth Candidates match just now, you were easily one of the best players on the pitch and I'm sure Armando Azevedo is taking a close look at you right now. How do you feel about your performance and about the potential prospect of being the first under-18 signed under Azevedo?

I felt I had a good game today. It would be amazing if Azevedo signed me up as he has a lot of passion about this team and looks like a great man to work under. Braga is a big club and I would love to join.

Do you feel you stood out among others today?

Well, that's up to the spectators to decide, I'd like to think I stood out.

Ok, that's all we have time for, thank you for the interview and good luck in the future Fernando! I'm sure we'll be chanting your name from the stands in no time!

Thank you.

March Update

For the first time this season, we have grasped hold of top spot. The dream may become reality. If we can complete a 100% win record, Braga win their first ever Portuguese league title. It's a crazy world. Almost a year ago I was following Braga all over Portugal and Europe. As a fan. This time it's me, Armando Azevedo the manager, leading his boyhood side to their first ever Portuguese title in their history whilst competing in the Taca de Portugal and the Europa League. It's still very possible to win the treble, but unlikely.

Now, enough of the inspirational speech! It's time to take a look at how March panned out for us!

Braga 3 - 1 Vitória Setúbal

Kadu (12)
Éder (37)
Francois (57)
Jimmy Briand (61)

Braga 4 - 1 Rio Ave

Ivan Cavaleiro (27)
Afonso Alves (36, 47)
Éder (43, 50)

Braga 2 - 3 AS Saint-Etienne

Jimmy Briand (8)
Edouard Butin (14, 21)
Duda (59)
Kurt Zouma (69)

SL Benfica 0 - 1 Braga

Jimmy Briand (88)

AS Saint-Etienne 0 - 4 Braga

Afonso Alves (19)
Duda (41, pen 51)
Jimmy Briand (71)

Nacional de Madeira 0 - 1 Braga

Éder (49)

Braga 3 - 1 SL Benfica

Rodrigo (12)
Jimmy Briand (41)
Kadu (70, 74)

Belenenses 1 - 6 Braga

Afonso Alves (9)
Fernando (31)
Kadu (36)
Jimmy Briand (40, 90+3)
Éder (59)
Sadio Mané (77)






April is looking like an easy run-in for all teams in the title race. We have Olhanense (H), Gil Vicente (H) and Pacos de Ferreira (H). FC Porto have Estoril (H), Sporting (H) and Vitória Guimaraes (H). SL Benfica have Belenenses (H), Estoril (H) and Sporting (H).



So it looks like May is the title decider with us leading the pack unless the underdogs can give us an easy ride by beating the contenders.

Fonseca Rallies Porto

FC Porto manager Paulo Fonseca has begun the war of words with title rivals Braga.

SL Benfica seem to be out of the running for the Portuguese title, 6 points behind Braga who are on 68 points. But FC Porto seem to be the only team capable of challenging Braga for the title, being three points behind on 65 points. But a worry for Porto is that their goal difference is on a lowly +29 with 3 games left whilst Braga are scoring goals for fun with a huge +48.

But FC Porto manager Paulo Fonseca says Braga haven't got the bottle to win the league. The full quote is here: "Braga have done very for themselves this season, I definitely wasn't expecting them to pop up at top spot at this point at the start of the season. Especially with the what seemed inexperienced managing ability of Azevedo.
Although they've done well, I don't think they have the what it takes to win the league. There's three games left, we're just a win behind being level on points.
Azevedo has had his team fired up all season but I can see them slipping up in at least one of the three games that remain"

After a 4-0 win versus Gil Vicente on Sunday, Braga inevitably qualified for the Champions League next season, unlike Porto as of yet. Azevedo hasn't replied to Fonseca's comments yet but talked about his sides qualification to the Champions League after a 1 year absence, he described it as a 'joy' and cannot wait to play some of Europe's finest.