'Extraordinary circumstances' - Freiburg and Braga eye Europa final
Freiburg coach Julian Schuster gestures on the touchline during the UEFA Europa League semi final first leg soccer match between SC Braga and SC Freiburg at Estadio Municipal de Braga. Luis Eiras/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Freiburg are confident they can still turn things around against Braga and secure a spot in the Europa League final, but the Portuguese side feel they are equipped to fight the Germans off. Braga have a 2-1 lead ahead of the return leg in the Black Forest on Thursday thanks to Mario Dorgeles' stoppage-time winner in the first game.
"After the first leg, Braga naturally has the slightly better starting position. But we have the confidence to turn the result around here at home," Freiburg coach Julian Schuster said at a news conference on Wednesday. "We are aware that when you play in a European semi-final, you face a team with quality.
We have to accept that, both us on the pitch and those in the stands. " Freiburg are bidding to reach their first European final and have never won a major trophy. The coach recognized that "these are extraordinary circumstances" but stressed that the team doesn't need "anything extra special in our own approach.
" "Everyone else, of course, is free to make the game as big a deal as possible. It takes over the entire city," he added. "Anyone who reaches the semi-finals naturally does everything they can to make it to the final.
For the people here at the club who have been here for so long, the fans, everyone in the city, I simply wish it for them," defender Matthias Ginter said. Braga lost the 2011 Europa League final to Porto in an all-Portuguese affair and would face England's Aston Villa or Nottingham Forest if they progress this time. Braga midfielder João Moutinho said: "We know Freiburg are very strong at home.