Braga Eye Europa League Victory For Joao Moutinho, Says Horta Ahead Of Freiburg Semi-Final

Braga captain Ricardo Horta is targeting Europa League glory as a tribute to team-mate Joao Moutinho, with the Portuguese club preparing for a semi-final against Freiburg. The first leg takes place on Thursday at the Estadio Municipal de Braga, where both sides seek an advantage in a tie that carries major significance for their European history.

Horta enters the Europa League semi-final in outstanding form, having delivered four goals and four assists in this season’s competition. Only two players have been involved in more goals. Across all Europa League campaigns with Braga, Horta now has 32 goal contributions, with 18 goals and 14 assists, the highest total for a single club since the 2009-10 season.

Braga are contesting only the second major European semi-final in the club’s history, following the 2010-11 Europa League run. That season, Braga eliminated Benfica in the last four before losing to Porto in the final. This campaign offers another chance to take a Portuguese club into a European showpiece, a responsibility which Horta says the squad understands clearly.

The captain explained that the group’s drive has been strengthened by the prospect of Moutinho earning another Europa League winners’ medal, after lifting the trophy with Porto in 2011. Horta said: "I feel the team is very motivated to play this semi-final. I think we all know the importance of this game and the importance of a Portuguese team being in a European final."

Horta described a mix of calm and tension before the Europa League clash, admitting pre-match nerves remain part of the routine. Horta said the players feel "very motivated, a little anxious for the game to start, so we can show our quality on the field. We are all prepared to play a good game."

The Braga captain added that personal emotions will not distract from the task. Horta said there are "always butterflies before any game," and highlighted that this is the first time playing a semi-final for the club. However, Horta stressed the approach will stay the same, treating it like any other match while trying to help Braga "come out victorious at the end of the game."

Within the dressing room, there is special focus on Moutinho’s experience of winning this tournament. Horta underlined that the midfielder’s track record matters. Horta said: "We know that Joao Moutinho is the only one who has reached a final and won, so what I can say is that we all want Joao Moutinho to win again."

Freiburg, meanwhile, are experiencing a new stage in the club’s European journey with this Europa League semi-final. It is the first time Freiburg have reached the last four of any UEFA competition. Including East German sides, they become the 26th club from Germany to appear in a major European semi-final, and the first debutant since RB Leipzig in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League.

Head coach Julian Schuster reflected on the scale of the contest for Freiburg’s squad, speaking about an occasion that many players experience only once. Schuster said: "We know just how much it means to be playing this game. A European semi-final doesnt come around every day. We can sense the excitement and nerves among the lads."

Schuster also assessed the challenge Braga pose in the Europa League encounter, while stressing Freiburg’s own standards. Schuster said: "We know the quality we're going to face, but we also have high standards of our own. We want to pick up where we left off with the performances we've shown over the last few weeks."

The build-up continues to grow around the first leg at the Estadio Municipal de Braga, where Horta’s influence, Moutinho’s experience and Freiburg’s first appearance at this stage all shape the narrative. Both clubs chase a strong result before the return meeting, with a place in the Europa League final within reach for either side.