Braga vs Freiburg Europa League semi-final preview: Where to watch, predicted line-ups, team news

Freiburg are set to travel to Braga for the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final tie.

Where to watch the game on TV

Fans can find their local UEFA Europa League broadcast partner(s) here.

What you need to know?

Europa League runners-up in 2010/11, when they lost 1-0 to Portuguese Liga rivals Porto in Dublin, Braga are looking to make it to a second final, and will be well aware that second legs have been something of a forte for them in 2026. In the round of 16, they lost 2-0 at Ferencváros, then roared back to win 4-0 at home. More impressively, they responded to a 1-1 home draw against Real Betis in the quarter finals with a shock 4-2 success in Seville.

Under Carlos Vicens – previously Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City – Os Arsenalistas mix pedigree Portuguese talent (João Moutinho, Ricardo Horta, et al) with quality signings from abroad. Uruguayan Rodrigo Zalazar has scored 15 league goals this season, with Spaniards Pau Victor and Fran Navarro also providing forward momentum.

Julian Schuster's Freiburg, meanwhile, have found their goalscoring touch in Europe in recent weeks. They beat Genk 5-1 at home in their round of 16 decider, then overcame Celta 3-0 at home and 3-1 in Spain in the quarter-finals. In their only previous game in Portugal, they drew 0-0 at Estoril in a 2013/14 Europa League group stage fixture, but they may fancy themselves for a better result this time around.

Possible line-ups

Braga: To follow

Freiburg: To follow

Form guide

Braga

Form: DWWDWL (most recent game first)
Next: Casa Pia vs Braga, 23/04, Portuguese First Division

Freiburg

Form: WWWWLW (most recent game first)
Next: Stuttgart vs Freiburg, 23/04, German Cup

Views from the camps

Carlos Vicens, Braga coach: "The players really believed it was possible [to win at Real Betis] with some adjustments at half-time. But most importantly, the courage to keep playing, the courage to keep pressing high, the courage to keep having the ball and demanding the ball in between the lines, was key for us to be very aggressive at the beginning of the second half and scoring the goals that allowed us to come back."

Julian Schuster, Freiburg coach: "It's the first time that we can play in a [UEFA competition] semi-final, so it's a very historic moment. We enjoyed the [win against Celta], but we won't stop working. It's just the next step. We will continue and we will work and we'll have this great focus for the next challenges. This is our mentality."

Reporter's view

Inês De Oliveira Martins, match reporter
To follow.