{
  "id": 1670441,
  "title": "Fadinger eyes Euro upset in biggest game of career",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/fadinger-eyes-euro-upset-in-biggest-game-of-career",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-18T08:11:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/fadinger-eyes-euro-upset-biggest-081127046.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lukas Fadinger is eagerly anticipating his biggest match of the season, set for Thursday, where Motherwell will face off against Freiburg in the Conference League play-offs. The Austrian midfielder, who previously saw Alfred Johansson's side suffer a first defeat under his management with a disappointing Premier Sports Cup exit, is optimistic about a potential upset.\n\nFadinger emphasized the unpredictable nature of football, stating, \"Everything is possible in football. You see it in one game. If you're fighting, if you give everything in the duels, there's always a chance to win those games.\" He believes that an energetic performance could give Motherwell an edge against a formidable opponent like Freiburg.\n\nDespite the challenging nature of the upcoming match, Fadinger remains confident in the team's abilities. He remarked, \"Even though it's a very tough opponent on Thursday, we think we have a chance if we stick to our principles.\" The team had previously overcome seeded teams HB Torshavn and HJK Helsinki to secure their place in the play-offs, a fact Fadinger acknowledged with pride.\n\nFadinger further highlighted the significance of the loss to Stenhousemuir, saying, \"We need to take it. It's a hard blow, but we go on Thursday again.\" He acknowledged the disappointment of the defeat but urged the team to focus on the upcoming match and not dwell on past setbacks.\n\nThe midfielder also expressed his excitement about playing in Europe for the first time, saying, \"I'd never played in Europe before so it will be the biggest game of my career. You can't take it for granted. I mean, that's always the dream to play in those competitions but I wouldn't have expected it.\" He praised the atmosphere at Motherwell's match against Stenhousemuir, describing it as the best he's experienced since joining the club, and expressed hope for another memorable night in Europe on Thursday.",
  "summary": "Lukas Fadinger can't wait for the biggest game of his career on Thursday and is confident Motherwell can bounce back from domestic disappointment as they eye a major European shock against Freiburg. After Alfred Johansson suffered his first defeat in charge when much-changed Motherwell crashed out of the Premier Sports Cup to second-tier Stenhousemuir on Sunday, his side must now rouse themselves…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}