The momentum of the match shifted decisively in the 6th minute. Braga’s Mario Dorgeles, who had scored the winning goal in the first leg, was shown a straight red card following a VAR review for a last-man foul on Niklas Beste. Forced to play nearly the entire match with ten men, the Portuguese visitors struggled to contain a relentless Freiburg offense.
The breakthrough for the hosts arrived in the 18th minute when Lukas Kubler bundled the ball into the corner after the Braga defense failed to clear a cross from Vincenzo Grifo. Freiburg continued to apply pressure and doubled their lead before the break. In the 41st minute, Johan Manzambi received a pass from Philipp Treu in a central position and fired a powerful strike into the right corner from distance.
Braga had a golden opportunity to pull one back in first-half stoppage time, but Victor Gomez hit the post after rounding goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
In the second half, Freiburg remained dominant. While Braga managed a few spirited attacks through Jean-Baptiste Gorby and Joao Moutinho, it was the German side that found the net again. In the 72nd minute, Kubler scored his second of the night, heading home a Grifo free kick to make it 3-0 and effectively end the contest.
Braga managed a late consolation goal in the 79th minute when Pau Victor finished from close range following a delivery from Victor Gomez, but it was not enough to spark a comeback. Atubolu made two critical saves in the final minutes to ensure Freiburg’s passage to the final.
SC Freiburg will now face Aston Villa at the Tupras Stadion in Istanbul on May 20, 2026, as they search for their first major European trophy. For Braga, the dream of a second Europa League final appearance ends in heartbreak despite their first-leg advantage.