Braga´s next-man-mentality lauded by Oliveira after Horta injury

Braga defender Paulo Oliveira hailed their next-man-up mentality after they overcame an injury to captain Ricardo Horta to earn a first-leg win over Freiburg in the Europa League.

Braga will take a 2-1 lead to Germany next week for the second leg of their semi-final tie, after a mistake from Noah Atubolu gifted Mario Dorgeles a stoppage-time winner in Portugal.

It was just the third time in their last 12 Europa League knockout ties that Braga had won the first leg (D1 L8), having beaten Monaco 2-0 and Rangers 1-0 in back-to-back rounds in 2021-22 (last 16 and quarter-finals).

And their victory came despite captain and creative hub Horta limping off in the first half.

The 31-year-old has eight goal involvements in the Europa League this season (four goals, four assists) and 32 overall for the club in the competition (18 goals, 14 assists) – the most by any player for a single team since the 2009-10 tournament rebrand.

But regardless of whether Horta is available next week, Oliveira believes Braga’s mentality can take them a long way.

“During the game, with that event going against us, we had the personality and courage to play as we have been doing since June last year,” he said, as quoted by O Jogo.

“We have assimilated processes to fight against these things. It seems that every matchday we lose a player, but another one rises!”

Forward Pau Victor echoed those sentiments, saying: “We have a very good squad, we have guys who play in many positions and several options when someone is not there. We don’t have essential players. It’s our secret.

“We have incredible fans who have been with us all season. Today, they showed what they are, they supported the team until the end, and we have to give back that environment with work, which is what they ask of us.

“They don’t ask for results, they ask for work, because that’s the only way the results come.”

But, given Freiburg have won all six of their home Europa League games this season, Oliveira knows the job is not yet complete.

“Anyone who thinks that we are in the semi-finals, and that it will not be a tough game, is wrong,” he said. “We have a game to play, and we will go all out.”