34.
9:34 p.m
After Lienhart advances, the ball lands via Beste at Grifo, who, however, plays an unplaced chip towards the second post from the left corner of the penalty area that no teammate can reach. Goal kick Braga.
32.
9:32 p.m
The northern Portuguese secure a longer period of possession, which certainly provides relief. Constantly blocking the passing stations and condensing the center takes a lot of energy when you’re outnumbered.
29.
9:29 p.m
The door almost opened, but Matanović’s pass into Manzambi’s path was too sharp. Horníček gets to the ball first and resolutely hits the ball into the touchline. No danger.
28.
9:28 p.m
The guests from the Portuguese north defend with all nine field players. Braga is definitely accepting the fight. The people of Breisgau are by no means setting off fireworks of opportunities. However, the Black Foresters don’t overdo it, but rather patiently deal with SC Braga.
25.
9:25 p.m
Freiburg continues to run relentlessly and push for the second goal. Sporting Braga is having a hard time keeping things going defensively.
22.
9:22 p.m
The people of Breisgau have now tasted blood and are taking action. Johan Manzambi takes a powerful shot with his left hand from a central position of 17 meters, but lacks precision in the pounding. The ball goes straight to Lukáš Horníček, who grabs it safely.
19.
9:18 p.m
Tooor for SC Freiburg, 1-0 by Lukas Kübler
Freiburg takes a 1-0 lead and thus equalizes the first leg result. Grifo is not significantly disturbed on the right wing and can chip the ball into the box. Vitor Carvalho heads straight to Kübler, who initially can’t control the ball properly, but then gets shot somewhat fortunately. The ball bounces from his left thigh to the bottom left corner. Horníček sees the ball very late and is no longer able to react when the ball turns precisely over the inside post and over the line. Crooked goal, but the sports club won’t care!
17.
9:17 p.m
Horníček is back and the game can continue.
16.
9:16 p.m
Lukáš Horníček, who has already taken a provocative amount of time with a tee shot, has to be treated on his own sixteenth. Carlos Vicens takes the opportunity to summon all remaining nine field players to the sideline and distribute new tactical instructions.
14.
9:14 p.m
When they are outnumbered, the Minhotos naturally retreat really deep and try to take the pace out of the game with every action they take. However, Braga is not getting much possession at the moment. The sports club is clearly in control.
11.
9:11 p.m
The Black Foresters are now pressing hard and Beste chips the leather very sharply into the box, where Horníček comes out but cannot hold on to the ball. However, in the hustle and bustle, no Freiburg player can profit from it. The Braga goalkeeper can therefore grab the ball in the follow-up.
9.
9:09 p.m
Beste and Grifo are ready and Beste is allowed to take the free kick with his left. But Moutinho stands well and deflects the ball, which just misses the top left corner. Horníček then plucks the corner kick that was due at the first post.
8.
9:08 p.m
This is of course a scene that tends to decide the game, which is why the VAR is taking a closer look at it. But there is nothing to shake it up. It remains red. Freiburg is now in the majority and also has the promising free kick from 17 meters in a central position.
6.
9:06 p.m
Red card for Mario Dorgeles (Sporting Braga)
Braga becomes more courageous and promptly runs into a Freiburg counterattack, in which Matanović plays the pass into the path of Beste at the perfect moment, who only has the opposing goalkeeper in front of him. Dorgeles then clears him from behind. This is a classic emergency brake. The northern Portuguese have to carry on with ten people.
4.
9:03 p.m
The Freiburg team started very high from the start and put the guests from the Portuguese north under pressure. SC Braga seemed nervous in the first few minutes.
1.
9:02 p.m
With a Grifo free kick from the right half of the field there is a fire right in the BRaga penalty area, but Höfler and Kübler obstruct each other in the small space so that there is no shot.
1.
9:00 p.m
Kick-off in Breisgau! Freiburg plays entirely in red, Braga is dressed in white. The ball is rolling.
1.
9:00 p.m
Game start
8:32 p.m
Today’s match is only the second competitive game between Freiburg and Braga after the Minhotos’ 2-1 home win last Thursday. SC Braga is ahead in the direct comparison and has secured a positive record against representatives of the Bundesliga, at least for the time being. It was the sixth win in the 14th competitive international game against German clubs (three draws, five defeats). The Breisgauers, in turn, remained winless in their third European match against a Portuguese club (two draws, one defeat).
8:20 p.m
However, Sporting Braga also sold expensively in the Europa League. The northern Portuguese, who were in the grand final in 2011 but lost to FC Porto, have won eight of their 13 games in the 2025/26 season (three draws, two defeats). But: The Minhotos have already lost a narrow first-leg win in this competition. In 2021/22, a 1-0 win against Glasgow Rangers was followed by a 3-1 extra-time defeat in Scotland.
8:06 p.m
The fact that SC Freiburg is making history with a home win this evening and moving into the grand final is primarily due to the home strength of the Black Forest team, who have won their last ten home games in a row in the Europa League – with a remarkable goal difference of 28:4. This means that the Breisgauers are only one home win away from the record set by record winners Sevilla between 2014 and 2016 (eleven). It is also striking that the Breisgauers were not behind for a single second in their Europa League home games in the 2025/26 season, which no other team in the competition can claim.
19:54
Sporting Braga is completely in no man’s land in the Portuguese league. The northern Portuguese are in fourth place, well behind the top trio Porto, Benfica and Sporting, but again have a five-point cushion in fifth place. Nevertheless, coach Carlos Vicens’ rotation was only moderate. Compared to the 1-1 draw against Estoril, there are three changes to the starting eleven today: Paulo Oliveira, Victor Gómez and Gorby start for Leonardo Lelo, Amine El Ouazzani and Moscardo (all three on the bench). Except for Mario Dorgeles playing for Ricardo Horta, it’s the same team from last Thursday.
7:49 p.m
Let’s take a look at how Julian Schuster approaches the task tonight in terms of personnel. In comparison to the mixed dress rehearsal on Sunday evening, when the sports club couldn’t get beyond a 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened VfL Wolfsburg, there are four changes: Philipp Lienhart, Lukas Kübler, Nicolas Höfler and Igor Matanović start for Lucas Höler, Christian Günter, Bruno Ogbus (all three bench) and Yuito Suzuki (broken collarbone).
7:47 p.m
After not a single Bundesliga representative reached the final in the first twelve seasons of the UEFA Europa League, SC Freiburg could now become the third Bundesliga team to reach the Europa League final after Frankfurt (2022) and Leverkusen (2024). To do this, the Black Forest team has to overcome the 1:2 defeat in the first leg.
7:45 p.m
Good evening and welcome from the Europa-Park Stadium. Today is the second leg of the Europa League semi-final. SC Freiburg hosts Sporting Braga at 9 p.m.