Motherwell face a decisive UEFA Conference League playoff second leg against SC Freiburg in Germany on Thursday. The Scottish Premiership side travel to the Europa-Park-Stadion needing a strong performance after their weekend match against Aberdeen was postponed, giving the squad extra preparation time.
Defender Jamie Knight-Lebel emphasized the team's commitment ahead of the European clash. "Whoever we’re up against, we’ll give it 100%," Knight-Lebel said. The match kicks off at 5:45pm UK time and will be broadcast live on Premier Sports.
Stephen O'Donnell returned to action as a substitute in the first leg, providing a boost to the defensive options. The fitness of forwards Eythor Bjørgolfsson and Apostolos Stamatelopoulos was being assessed ahead of the trip to Germany after both were named in the UEFA squad list. The team's current domestic form sees them sitting 4th in the Premiership with 4 points from two games, having scored twice and conceded once. Key absentees Callum Hendry, Jordan McGhee, and Paul McGinn remain sidelined.
This European fixture comes as Motherwell sit just two points behind league leaders Celtic in the early season table.
UEFA has issued fines totalling almost €20,000 to Motherwell for fan-related incidents during their Conference League campaign. A €4,000 penalty was given for blocking passageways in the John Hunter Stand during the match against Havnar Boltfelag at Fir Park. A more significant €15,000 fine followed after supporters entered the field of play in Helsinki against HJK.
The cost of repairs to HJK's LED advertisement boards after that match is estimated at over €74,000. Combined, these fines and repair bills bring the total cost close to €100,000 for the season so far. During the home leg against SC Freiburg, UEFA officials noted supporters jumping over the wall from the John Hunter Stand. UEFA classifies one supporter entering the field as a pitch incursion, and a second such offence carries a minimum additional penalty of €24,000.
Domestically, the club has also faced costs and suspended ticket sanctions totalling nearly £15,000 in recent seasons for similar issues. Around 1,400 Motherwell fans have tickets for the away section in Freiburg, from an allocation of over 2000. A group of supporters plans to gather at Münsterplatz from 2pm local time before walking to Freiburg HBF at 4:45pm and taking trams to the stadium.
Motherwell completed two permanent signings for their women's team. Goalkeeper Kayla Scott joined from Celtic, where she was an academy graduate. Scott gained senior experience with Ayr United last season and has represented the Scottish schools team alongside several current and former Motherwell players. "I’m really pleased and excited to be at Motherwell," Scott said. "It’s an incredible opportunity for myself to learn from the talented goalkeepers already at the club, and try to compete for experience in the Scottish top-flight."
The club also signed 20-year-old Serbian international midfielder Mary Stanić-Floody from Canberra United. She previously played for Sydney FC and Canberra United in Australia's A-League, making her professional debut for Sydney at age 15. With Sydney FC, she won the Premiership title in the 2021-22 season and made 14 appearances the following year as the club won a domestic double. At Canberra United, she scored her first professional goal in a 5-1 win over Brisbane Roar and was nominated for the A-League Women Young Footballer of the Year award.
SC Freiburg played a German Cup match against Fortuna Dusseldorf on Sunday, winning 5-1 with Igor Matanovic scoring twice. The weather forecast for Thursday in Freiburg predicts dry conditions with sunny intervals, light breezes, and temperatures around 30 degrees Celsius at kick-off. Motherwell B also had a match this week, facing Alloa Athletic in a KDM Evolution Trophy tie at the Indodrill Stadium on Tuesday. Kick-off was at 7:45pm with free parking available at Morrisons and town centre car parks, and a covered communal disabled area under the main stand.
The focus now returns to the first team's European challenge. With key players working towards fitness and the squad refreshed from a postponed league game, Motherwell aim to produce a positive result in Germany. The club's current standing and goal difference can be tracked on the standings page as they balance domestic and continental commitments.
