Braga vs Gil Vicente postponed after gastrointestinal outbreak leaves SC Braga with 10 available players
SC Braga's I Liga match against Gil Vicente on Sunday was postponed after a gastrointestinal outbreak traced to the club's midweek trip to Bulgaria left only 10 players available.
Outbreak traced to Bulgaria trip
SC Braga's I Liga match against Gil Vicente, scheduled for Sunday at 20:30 at the Estádio Municipal de Braga, was postponed after a gastrointestinal infection outbreak swept through the squad. The club said the infections began during a midweek trip to Bulgaria, where Braga played Dinamo Minsk in the 3rd qualifying round of the Europa League. The condition evolved very unfavourably over the following 48 hours, leaving the squad severely depleted.
A medical delegate specializing in Public Health and Occupational Medicine conducted an in-person assessment on Saturday and confirmed that the symptoms would impact affected players' availability for competition over the next 48 to 72 hours. The club warned that more cases could emerge among other squad members in the coming days due to contact with those already showing symptoms.
Only 10 players available
By Sunday morning, Braga had only 3 goalkeepers and 7 outfield players available, a situation the club deemed incompatible with fielding a competitive side. The team, coached by Carlos Vicens, contacted Liga Portugal and Gil Vicente to request the postponement. The Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional confirmed the match was postponed by mutual agreement of both sporting societies, with a new date and time to be determined.
- SC Braga issues statement announcing gastrointestinal outbreak and match postponement
- Liga de Futebol confirms postponement by mutual agreement of both clubs
- Original kickoff time for Braga vs Gil Vicente at Estádio Municipal de Braga, match not played
- Braga scheduled to host Austria Wien in Europa League playoff first leg
Clubs and league praised for cooperation
SC Braga thanked Liga Portugal and Gil Vicente for their handling of the situation, saying the decision best serves the championship and the integrity of the competition. The club stated the resolution also serves Portuguese football's interests by avoiding competitive overload before a European playoff and reducing added injury risk for athletes who would have had to play under conditions of limitation.
Europa League playoff looms
Braga is scheduled to host Austria Wien on Thursday in the first leg of the Europa League playoff at their home stadium. The postponement of the league match removes the risk of playing two high-stakes fixtures within days while the squad is dealing with illness. The club said it would provide information soon to ticket holders who cannot attend the match on the rescheduled date. Gil Vicente also informed supporters via Instagram that it would release details for affected ticket holders once the new date is announced.
