German side SC Freiburg booked their place in the Europa League final after defeating SC Braga 3-1 on Thursday night, sealing a 4-3 aggregate victory in a dramatic semi-final clash.
Defender Lukas Kübler scored in each half to inspire Freiburg to their first-ever European final, where they will face Aston Villa F.C. in Istanbul.
Freiburg entered the second leg trailing by one goal from the first meeting but were handed a major advantage just seven minutes into the game when Braga winger Mario Dorgeles received a straight red card for bringing down Freiburg’s Jan-Niklas Beste as the last defender.
The hosts capitalised on their numerical advantage in the 19th minute when Braga defender Vitor Carvalho’s clearance ricocheted off Kübler and rolled into the net.
Freiburg doubled their lead before half-time through a stunning solo effort from Johan Manzambi, who surged through midfield before curling an effort beyond goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek.
Despite several brilliant saves from Hornicek early in the second half, Freiburg continued to dominate and eventually added a third goal when Kübler headed home a free-kick delivered by Vincenzo Grifo.
Braga responded late through Pau Víctor, whose header gave the Portuguese side hope of a comeback. However, Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu produced crucial late saves to preserve the aggregate lead.
Speaking after the match, Kübler described the victory as a “dream come true” and praised the Freiburg supporters for their role in the historic night.
“The atmosphere was unbelievable throughout — the fans carried us,” he said.
Freiburg defender Matthias Ginter also reflected on the significance of the occasion, calling it “the most important home match in the club’s history.”
The German club, who have never won a major trophy or qualified for the UEFA Champions League, now stand one victory away from achieving both milestones.
For Braga, the defeat ended hopes of reaching their first Europa League final since 2011, when they lost to FC Porto.
At the final whistle, Freiburg supporters stormed the pitch in celebration as the club advanced to only the second major final in its history following the 2022 German Cup final appearance.
