Freiburg will face Aston Villa in the Europa League final after a 3-1 victory over Braga, completing a 4-3 aggregate comeback. This marks Freiburg's first appearance in a European final.
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins (L) and Nottingham Forest's Nikola Milenkovic battle for the ball during the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg soccer match between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest at Villa Park. Mike Egerton/PA Wire/dpa
Germany's Freiburg benefitted from an early red card for visitors Braga on Thursday to sweep into the Europa League final where they will meet Aston Villa.
Freiburg have never been in a European final and never won a major trophy. But their initial dreams came true after the seventh-minute dismissal of Mario Dorgeles opened the door for a Lukas Kübler brace and Johan Manzambi to seal a 3-1 win and 4-3 comeback on aggregate.
"It is like a dream. It is a unique evening here in the Europa Park Stadion, the atmosphere was electric," Kübler told RTL after fans stormed the pitch in joy. The party went on for long into the night.
Villa were trailing 1-0 to Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest from last week's first leg and the Birmingham side also turned it around thanks to Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Buendía and John McGinn's double for a 4-1 aggregate triumph.
Buendía's brilliant run assisted Watkins, complete with head-bandage, for the first-half opener while the diminutive Spaniard converted a penalty in the second period and McGinn scored two in three minutes.
Freiburg reached the Europa League final by defeating Braga 3-1 in the semi-final second leg, overcoming a 4-3 aggregate deficit.
The early red card for Braga's Mario Dorgeles allowed Freiburg to dominate the match, leading to their comeback victory.
The specific date for the Europa League final between Freiburg and Aston Villa has not been mentioned in the article.
No, Freiburg has never won a major trophy prior to reaching the Europa League final.
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Watkins told TNT Sports: "In the first leg, we were very passive. They deserved the win, but it was always going to be more difficult (for them) at Villa Park. We need to go and win it now."
The two semi comebacks set up a final clash in Istanbul on May 20.
Forest had been hoping for a first European final since 1980 when Brian Clough led them to successive European Cups, but instead are left to concentrate on Premier League survival.
Nottingham Forest boss Vitor Pereira said: "To compete in a semi final and against a team like Aston Villa, we need everyone in the conditions to compete. If you look before the game on the bench we had three players, because the other ones were injured."
Villa's last continental final was when winning the 1982 European Cup. Coach Unai Emery is chasing a fifth Europa League title having clinched three with Sevilla and one with Villarreal.
Winning the Europa League offers a place in next season's Champions League.
Barring a calamity, Villa are set to be in the Champions League anyway next term as they sit fifth in the Premier League, who have gained an extra place for next season due to UEFA co-efficients.
Spine-tingling atmosphere
Germany was hoping for the second Champions League berth for a fifth-placed side. However, Rayo Vallecano reaching the Conference League final looks set to have given Spain the place despite Freiburg's heroics.
Amid a spine-tingling atmosphere inside the Europa Park Stadion, Freiburg began brightly and were soon rewarded numerically after the early red card for Braga.
Dorgeles, who scored the late winner for 2-1 in the first leg, was dismissed for a professional foul on last man Jan-Niklas Beste.
The Freiburg winger, only playing after Yuito Suzuki broke his collarbone, should arguably have shot or run clear before the foul, but the Black Forest side soon took advantage anyway.
Right back Kübler chested down the ball in the box and an attempted Braga clearance rebounded off him and the post dribble over the line on 19 minutes.
The Portuguese side defended stoutly thereafter with 10 men but they could do nothing to stop Manzambi's fabulous curling strike from the edge of the area on 41.
The Swiss midfielder has been a star all season and Freiburg could struggle to cling on to him in the imminent transfer window.
Victor Gómez hit the post for Braga just before the break and Vincenzo Grifo did the same for the hosts straight after the restart.
Kübler added a rare second on 72 before Pau Víctor's headed goal on 79 made for a nervous finale.
Relieved Freiburg coach Julian Schuster, who was later seen dancing in a still packed stand with ecstatic supporters, said: "It was a bit crazy and a bit hectic at the end. I have such massive joy when I look on the fans' faces."
Braga's only previous European final was losing the Europa League showpiece to Porto in 2011 and they will have to wait for another appearance.
Veteran João Moutinho said: "Of course, the sending-off hampered us, things became very difficult.
"But we played really well, even with a man down. We tried to play our own game and created chances to score more than one goal. That’s football – the team that scores the most goals wins. We need to keep our heads up."
Braga's Mario Dorgeles fouls Freiburg's Jan-Niklas Beste during the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg soccer match between SC Freiburg and SC Braga at Europa Park Stadium. Tom Weller/dpa