Freiburg-SC Braga: "We are confident we can turn it around at home"

FREIBURG — This moment isn't just special for SC Braga; it's equally significant for Freiburg, who are on the cusp of their first-ever European final. The importance of Thursday's match was evident in the German journalists' questions to coach Julian Schuster and center-back Matthias Ginter. Their responses highlighted a cautious approach, aiming "not to make the game bigger than it is," as the coach put it, wanting to prevent the fans' euphoria from overwhelming his players.

— Is SC Braga the favorite due to their first-leg advantage?

— First and foremost, both teams have a chance to win this second leg and reach the final. After the first game, SC Braga is in a better position with the victory, but we are confident, especially at home, that we can turn things around. We've had very positive performances in recent matches, and that will help us tomorrow [this Thursday].

— Do you expect SC Braga to approach the game differently?

— Looking at their recent games, they usually stick to the same plan. I think it will be a mix; they'll have their normal game plan, but of course, this small advantage might change a few things. For us, what's important is knowing that SC Braga has quality, quality in ball possession. We have to accept that, but in recent games, we've had many positive moments. That helps the atmosphere in the stadium, especially in a semi-final. We need to be prepared when SC Braga has the ball and creates opportunities, and we need to create our own chances.

— The fans are euphoric; this is the most important game in the club's history. How are you handling this pressure?

— Of course, fans talk to us on the street, ask for tickets, nothing out of the ordinary, it's normal. But we continue with our daily routine, and the fans, of course, can make the game as big as they want; it's uniting the entire city, it's the power of football, of Freiburg.

Despite a recent dip in form, with a run of three losses and a draw, Freiburg is clinging to the Europa-Park's fortress-like status in this Europa League campaign: six games, six wins. Julian Schuster didn't need to say much to his squad.

“At the moment, you don't have to dig too deep to reach the players; we are very focused, extremely focused. Today [this Wednesday], I've already told them a lot, and tonight they can do what's important for them. There are natural limits; they don't need the coach to fall asleep at night. The players talk a lot among themselves,” Schuster stated.

Experienced defender Matthias Ginter, 32, spoke on behalf of the German squad. He acknowledged the game's importance, without, however, labeling it as the match of his career, and emphasized the strengths of the Minho warriors that Freiburg will need to counter.

“Anyone in a semi-final will do everything humanly possible to reach the final. The people who have worked at the club for many years, the players, the fans, everyone in the city... I hope everyone shares that feeling of wanting to win a title. Everyone knows this is the biggest game in history; there's no point in going home now,” he stressed.

“It's easier said than done; you shouldn't overthink it, as it can inhibit us. As the coach said, we have to do things well, have energy from the start. There will be energy in the stadium; we have to invest, with speed, not overthink, and simply play football,” he prescribed, aware that SC Braga is not one to surrender to hostile environments, as they demonstrated in Seville.

“One of SC Braga's strengths is that they never stop believing. In the game against Betis, losing 0-2, then conceding a 0-3 that was disallowed for offside, and everything changes. There are small moments where you have to fight and believe, and SC Braga has that experience, but so do we, especially at home, with our fans. We need them tomorrow [this Thursday] for this fight, to seize this moment,” he appealed.