The second semi-final sees Portuguese powerhouse SC Braga take on Germany’s SC Freiburg in what promises to be a tactical chess match. Braga, led by Carlos Vicens, secured their spot in the final four after a thrilling 5-3 aggregate win over Real Betis. They are notoriously difficult to beat at the Estádio Municipal de Braga, relying on the creative spark of Rodrigo Zalazar and the veteran leadership of João Moutinho to dictate play.
SC Freiburg enters this tie following a dominant quarter-final performance where they thrashed Celta Vigo 6-1 on aggregate. Despite some inconsistent form in the Bundesliga, Julian Schuster’s side has been prolific in Europe. They will look to keep things tight in Portugal before taking the tie back to the Europa-Park-Stadion. Expect a high-intensity battle between two teams that have never won this competition but are now just 180 minutes away from the final.
Match Details
• Tournament: UEFA Europa League 2025–26 (Semi-Final, 1st Leg)
• Date: Thursday, April 30, 2026 (Friday, May 1, 12:30 AM IST)
• Venue: Estádio Municipal de Braga, Portugal
• Where to Watch: Viaplay (Europe), Paramount+ (USA), SonyLIV (India)
Predicted Lineups
• SC Braga (4-3-3): Hornicek; Gomez, Arrey-Mbi, Lagerbielke, Marin; Gorby, Zalazar, Moutinho; Horta, Victor, Bruma.
• SC Freiburg (4-2-3-1): Atubolu; Kübler, Ginter, Lienhart, Günter; Eggestein, Höfler; Doan, Grifo, Muslija; Matanovic.
Score Prediction: SC Braga 2-1 SC Freiburg