Match preview

Braga head into this semi-final after a slightly unexpected 1-2 loss to Santa Clara, which brought an end to their six-game unbeaten streak. Still, their overall form remains solid, with four wins and two draws prior to that setback.

In Europe, Braga have been particularly impressive. Their comeback win over Real Betis — turning a 0-2 deficit into a 4-2 away victory — highlighted both their resilience and attacking strength. At home, they’ve been very reliable as well, losing just once in their last 14 matches, and remaining unbeaten in the knockout rounds of the Europa League so far.

A notable pattern is their fast starts — Braga have opened the scoring in 8 of their last 9 matches, often taking early control of proceedings.

Freiburg arrive after a heavy 0-4 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, a result that reflects their recent inconsistency, especially following their DFB-Pokal semi-final exit. Despite this, they remain dangerous going forward.

In the Europa League, Freiburg have been dominant, thrashing Celta Vigo 6-1 on aggregate and comfortably beating Genk 5-1 earlier in the knockout stage. Their matches are often open, with 7 of their last 9 games producing over 2.5 goals, though defensive issues persist, as they’ve conceded in four straight matches.

On the road, Freiburg have shown they can compete, winning 3 of their last 4 away games — a sign they’re capable of taking the initiative even outside their home ground.

This will be the first-ever European meeting between Braga and Freiburg.

Probable lineups

Braga: Hornicek, Lagerbielke, Oliveira, Lelo, Gomez, Tiknaz, Gorby, Martinez, Zalazar, Horta, Víctor

Freiburg: Atubolu, Günter, Lienhart, Ginter, Treu, Manzambi, Eggestein, Beste, Höler, Grifo, Matanovic

Key facts

3 of Braga’s last 4 matches have seen over 2.5 goals

Braga have scored first in 8 of their last 9 games

7 of Freiburg’s last 9 matches have produced over 2.5 goals

Live Sporting Braga vs SC Freiburg - Europa League