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    **Guardiola's Protégé Faces Tough Challenge Against Celtic**

    Carlos Vicens, once Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City, is navigating the trials of being head coach at Sporting Braga. His team faces Celtic in the Europa League at Celtic Park, and the pressure is mounting. After a promising start, Braga's form has dipped, with a recent 1-0 home loss to Nacional pushing them to seventh in Portugal's Liga, extending a five-game winless run. This decline has sparked discontent among fans, evidenced by the waving of white handkerchiefs—a common Iberian sign of displeasure.

    Carlos Vicens' career has been shaped by his time at Manchester City, where he progressed from a work experience role to under-18 coach under Guardiola's stewardship. In 2021, after four years under one of the football's best coaches, Vicens took the opportunity to lead Braga. His tenure began with a tentative draw against Levski Sofia in the Europa League qualifiers, followed by victories that suggested early promise.

    However, despite a strong start, recent league games have been challenging. Braga has not won in four league matches since an early season surge, prompting criticism from supporters. Vicens hopes to gain a morale-boosting result against Celtic, a team Braga last faced in 2010's Champions League qualifiers, where they suffered an aggregate loss but eventually had a memorable Europa League run.

    Braga has a history of European struggle, reaching the Europa League final in 2011, halted by Porto. Last season, despite wins over reputable teams like Maccabi Tel Aviv and Lazio, Braga narrowly missed the knockout phase, finishing agonizingly close behind Fenerbahce.

    This season, Braga has invested heavily in new talent, acquiring striker Pau Victor and midfielder Mario Dorgeles. However, Victor has yet to find his form, and Dorgeles may miss the upcoming game. Adding intrigue to the match, Gustaf Lagerbielke, a former Celtic player, will return to Celtic Park with Braga, having become a key player after leaving Scotland.

    As Braga prepares for the clash with Celtic, the stakes are high for Vicens. Balancing immediate performance with long-term team development, he aims to prove himself as a capable leader beyond his successful apprenticeship under Guardiola. This match is crucial in shaping Braga's European aspirations this season.