Why Freiburg will win the UEFA Europa League
Freiburg are gearing up for a maiden UEFA Europa League semi-final when they travel to Braga next week for the first leg. However, with just four teams left in the competition, they have every reason to believe they can go all the way and lift a first piece of major silverware…
Freiburg narrowly missed out on UEFA Champions League qualification in 2024/25 for the second time in three seasons, but rather than feel sorry for themselves, they have moved to within three games of European glory.
Their form in this competition, in particular, has been nothing short of remarkable. They went unbeaten across their first seven games in the league phase, beating the likes of perennial Champions League participants Red Bull Salzburg, and finished in the top eight.
A 1-0 defeat to Genk in the first leg of their round of 16 tie did nothing to dent their confidence as they hammered their Belgian opponents 5-1 in the return fixture. Then, they brushed Celta Vigo aside in the quarter-finals, winning 6-1 on aggregate and prevailing comfortably both home and away.
They have impressed going forward, finding the back of the net 22 times across their 14 matches – only fellow semi-finalists Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, one of whom they would face in the final should they beat Braga, have found the back of the net more often – but it is at the back where they have really shone.
Viktoria Plzeň are the only side in the tournament to have conceded fewer than Freiburg’s seven goals, and Julian Schuster’s men have played four more games than the Czech outfit. In comparison, their upcoming opponents, Braga, have been beaten 12 times, having also made 14 appearances, while no team has managed to breach Freiburg’s backline on more than one occasion in a single game.
There have been numerous strong performers, but Matthias Ginter has shown all of his class and experience. Now 32 years old, he has not missed a minute in the Europa League and has even popped up with a couple of goals in the knockout stages. Such has been his form that there have even been suggestions he could be in contention for a place in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the 2026 World Cup.
At the other end, Vincenzo Grifo remains a major threat, becoming Freiburg’s all-time top scorer against Genk, while Igor Matanović has also scored twice during the knockout stages. Flanked by other key performers such as Yuito Suzuki and Johan Manzambi, Schuster’s side have all the weapons to hurt any opponent.
That has been illustrated by their wider form in recent weeks. After navigating an inconsistent period, they have now won six of their last seven games, only losing to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich – even then, the Bavarians required two injury-time goals to come from behind and prevail 3-2.
Watch: Grifo's glorious strike in FC 26
While this may be Freiburg’s deepest run in a UEFA competition, this team is no stranger to the latter stages of cup competitions. In the DFB Cup, they are through to the last four for the third time in five seasons, having lost at that stage to RB Leipzig in 2022/23. Their closest shave with glory came the season before, when they were defeated by the same opponents in the final on penalties.
As such, this team has been battle-hardened by their previous heartbreaks and will not be overawed by ay occasion. Instead, they will have extra motivation to beat Braga in the semi-finals and then emerge victorious from the final in Istanbul.
Speaking following the victory over Vigo, Julian Schuster said, “We've taken a big step, but we're not there yet. We'll celebrate sometime at the end of May. But until then, we can't afford any distractions”. It is clear that Freiburg have the bit between their teeth, shown by their Bundesliga Matchday 30 display against Heidenheim immediately after the high of progressing from the quarters.
With a top-six finish in the Bundesliga unlikely as they trail Bayer Leverkusen in sixth by nine points, the Black Forest club can now concentrate on their cup participations. After several near misses, it is now Freiburg’s time to stand on the top step of the podium, with the clash against Braga the first step on that journey.
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