Braga's new boss sparks tactical shift as they beat Gent
In front of a sea of gverreiros at the Estádio Municipal de Braga, Franclim Carvalho oversaw his first competitive appearance as head coach as Braga secured a 2‑0 win over Gent. The victory marked the opening chapter of his tenure and delivered the side's first three points in the UEFA Europa Conference League.
The previous era under Carlos Vicens had delighted many with flashes that even the three Portuguese giants found surprising. Yet the lack of a decisive end product and recurring defensive instability produced a string of negative results, ultimately prompting the club to seek a new direction.
New formation reshapes Braga's play
Carvalho abandoned Vicens' 3‑4‑3, installing a 4‑2‑3‑1 that better matches the squad's attributes. The new system injected verticality into the attack from the first minutes, and despite still being a work in progress, it proved sufficient to earn the three points on offer.
Braga displayed a range of build‑up patterns. The most frequent was a 3+1 shape, with Bright Arrey‑Mbi anchoring centrally and João Moutinho dropping deepest, allowing Gorby Baptiste to ‘grow’, as Carvalho noted in the post‑match press conference. "We had two training sessions. I mentioned that in the preview; we asked simple things from the players, to be direct and objective," he said. The French forward adapted well and could enjoy a career‑boosting season. The team also operated in 3+2, keeping Baptiste deeper, and in a 4+2 set‑up with Bright wide left and Victor Gómez recessed on the right.
Wide players stretch the flanks
Victor Gómez’s role on the right will be pivotal, providing defensive balance while offering width and the freedom to cut inside, reminiscent of Pau Víctor’s duties in the starting eleven. On the left, Bright’s positioning frees Gabriel Silva to occupy more advanced zones, exploiting his strengths more effectively.
The tactical tweaks also created space for captain Ricardo Horta, described as the ‘vagabond’ of the attack. Operating as the most advanced player in the central corridor, he alternated between a third‑midfielder role to create numerical superiority and a second‑striker position to overload Gent’s five‑man defensive line.
Pressing phases and defensive shape
When pressing high against Gent, Braga shifted to a 2+1 shape, with Pau Víctor and Jovan Milosevic leading the front line while Horta limited the link to the deeper Belgian midfielder. Gabriel Silva surged to the Belgian right centre‑back when the ball arrived there, and Victor Gómez tracked Tiago Araújo, applying pressure whenever the Portuguese dropped deeper to aid construction.
In the final third, Vicens’ imprint lingered as Gabriel Silva dropped into a back‑five line, the only clear sign of the previous system. Overall, the 4‑2‑3‑1 gave the attack pragmatism, shielded the defence and redefined key roles, leaving supporters with legitimate optimism for a campaign that begins with renewed ambition.