Sporting Braga vs Freiburg Bet Builder Tips: Hosts to make the most of their home leg in 11/2 punt

Sporting Braga host Freiburg at Braga Municipal Stadium on Thursday (20:00 BST, TNT Sports 4) for the first leg of their Uefa Europa League semi-final tie. The hosts have reached this stage of the competition for the first time since 2010/11, when they reached the final and eventually lost to Porto.

Freiburg are making their first appearance in a European semi-final and after strong performances against Celta Vigo in the last round, they will look to stun Braga in Portugal. Read on for my Sporting Braga vs Freiburg Bet Builder Tips.

Match Result - Sporting Braga

Many people see hosting the home leg as a bad thing, but I'm not sure Braga will be feeling that way. Since the beginning of the league phase, the hosts have won four of their six home fixtures.

They should be confident of defeating Freiburg on Thursday because the visitors have suffered back-to-back losses on the road in all competitions. The German outfit have also won just two of their six away days in the Europa League this term.

Braga should be sensing vulnerability from their opponents and they have the opportunity to make the most of their home advantage and put them in the driving seat of the tie.

I'm backing a Braga victory.

Sporting Braga vs Freiburg Odds

Both Teams To Score - Yes

I think there is going to be a good amount of attacking quality on show in Portugal so I think it is worth backing both teams to find the net on Thursday.

There were goals at both ends in Braga's two clashes with Real Betis in the quarter-finals. This selection has also landed in three of their four most recent competitive matches.

Freiburg have seen BTTS - Yes strike in six of their previous nine fixtures in all competitions, including three of their past four.

Gustaf Lagerbielke 1+ fouls

With this being a semi-final, both sets of players will be determined to progress to the final, so I think there will be a lot of body-on-the-line displays over these two legs.

I think this will lead to some good physical battles out on the pitch and so I have picked out two players to be penalised on Thursday. Braga defender Gustaf Lagerbielke committed 16 fouls across 12 appearances in the Europa League this season.

In a likely duel against Freiburg front man Igor Matanovic, I think Lagerbielke could wind up in trouble.

Igor Matanovic 2+ fouls

I am also covering the Freiburg attacker to commit two fouls. The Croatian has also been penalised 16 times in 12 UEL matches this term. There are countless times when the centre-forward gets intro trouble from trying to press from the front with a late challenge, and that's why I believe we will see Matanovic get told off a couple of times on Thursday.

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