STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Tiago Tomás' spectacular 119th-minute backheel goal sent Stuttgart back to the German Cup final with an extra-time 2-1 win over Freiburg to keep its title defense rolling Thursday.
In the final in Berlin on May 23, Stuttgart will now aim to foil a Bayern Munich domestic double, which could become a treble if Vincent Kompany's team wins the Champions League too.
The back-to-back cup finals for Stuttgart couldn't be more different, facing a record-breaking Bayern — which beat Stuttgart 4-2 last weekend — after beating one of the competition's biggest-ever underdogs, third-tier Arminia Bielefeld, in last year's final.
“It’s a really tough question. I think just be concentrated, try to make as few mistakes as possible,” Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav told Sky Sport when asked how his team can make an upset happen. “We believe in it. Anything can happen in Berlin. It’s one game.”
Freiburg's chances of an unusual double ended, but it's still a contender for the Europa League title after reaching the semifinals.
The game was heading for a penalty shootout when Tomás produced a moment of individual skill by twisting in the air between two defenders as a pass came in from Badredine Bouanani and using his heel to flick the ball past Freiburg's otherwise outstanding goalkeeper Florian Müller.
Tomás celebrated shirtless, holding a corner flag aloft to the crowd, and shrugged off the inevitable yellow card. Freiburg pushed for another goal and even sent Müller into the attack at a corner but it wasn't enough.
“There’s not many words to describe what happened," Tomás said. “I think it’s one of those nights. It will stay for me in my lifetime in my memory.”
Earlier, Freiburg took the lead when Maximilian Eggestein flicked Matthias Ginter’s header past the goalkeeper at a corner in the 28th minute. Soon after having a goal ruled out for offside, Stuttgart pulled level in the 70th when Undav finished off a counterattack for his 24th club goal of the season.
Undav turned creator, setting up his teammates for a series of chances as Stuttgart took control but Müller's quick reactions kept his team in the contest, as Chris Führich had one shot saved just before the game went to extra time, and hit the post soon after. Freiburg was left aggrieved after Lucas Höler had a goal disallowed for bodychecking a defender.
Bayern reached the final for the first time since 2020 by beating Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 on Wednesday.
The cup offers a Europa League place for the winner, but that will now almost certainly revert to being an extra spot in the league standings since Stuttgart is on track to qualify for next season's Champions League through the Bundesliga.
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Freiburg fans set off pyrotechnics during a German Cup semifinal soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Stuttgart, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Stuttgart's Tiago Tomas, center, scores the winning goal during a German Cup semifinal soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Stuttgart, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
Stuttgart's Tiago Tomas celebrates scoring the winning goal during a German Cup semifinal soccer match between VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg, Thursday, April 23, 2026, in Stuttgart, Germany. (Tom Weller/dpa via AP)
NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he was weighing a taxpayer-funded takeover of Spirit Airlines with the intent of reselling the struggling budget carrier after oil prices drop.
The president confirmed his continued interest in offering Spirit a financial lifeline after a lawyer told a U.S. Bankruptcy Court that the airline was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal.
“They have some good aircraft and good assets, and when the prices of oil goes down, we’ll sell it for a profit,” Trump said, speaking at an unrelated Oval Office event. “I’d love to be able to save those jobs. I’d love to be able to save an airline.”
Trump stoked speculation of a deal to save Spirit on Tuesday when he encouraged a buyer to rescue the airline and suggested the federal government could help keep it afloat.
The White House on Wednesday attempted to blame Spirit’s predicament on the Biden administration, which in 2023 sued to stop JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit for $3.8 million. A little more than a year before Trump replaced Joe Biden as president, a federal judge in Dallas blocked a proposed Spirit-JetBlue merger, saying it would drive up airfares for passengers.
But some lawmakers and even Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have voiced skepticism about the government stepping in to keep Spirit alive. In a CBS interview that aired Tuesday night, the transportation secretary questioned whether a financing deal would set a broader precedent.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
NEW YORK (AP) — A lawyer for Spirit Airlines said Thursday that the budget carrier was in advanced talks with the U.S. government on a financing deal that would help it emerge from bankruptcy protection instead of having to shut down.
Details of the potential deal have been shared with all three of the company’s primary creditor groups, Marshall Huebner, a lawyer with Davis Polk, said during a U.S. Bankruptcy Court hearing in New York.
Spirit has struggled with losses for years. The airline filed for Chapter 11 protection in November 2024 and again in August 2005. Government financing would make the airline's latest reorganization possible and help Spirit be more competitive, Huebner said.
With the Iran war driving up jet fuel costs for all airlines, creditors earlier this month expressed doubts about Spirit's ongoing viability, raising the possibility the airline recognized for its bright yellow planes would be forced to sell its assets and cease operating.
Trump stoked speculation of a deal to save Spirit on Tuesday when he encouraged a buyer to rescue the airline and suggested the federal government could help keep it afloat.
Asked about possible government relief, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters the same day that Trump had directed the Department of Transportation to review possible options.
The size and terms of the financial aid under discussion have not been shared publicly. The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg both reported anonymous sources saying the amount was $500 million and the government would reserve the option to acquire a sizable stake in the airline, which has its headquarters in Florida.
The White House on Wednesday attempted to blame Spirit's predicament on the Biden administration, which in 2023 sued to stop JetBlue Airways from buying Spirit for $3.8 million. A little more than a year before Trump replaced Joe Biden as president, a federal judge in Dallas blocked a proposed Spirit-JetBlue merger, saying it would drive up airfares for passengers.
But some lawmakers and even Duffy have voiced skepticism about the government stepping in to keep Spirit alive. In a CBS interview that aired Tuesday night, the transportation secretary questioned whether a financing deal would set a broader precedent.
“Then who else comes to my door?” Duffy said, referring to other airlines potentially requesting government aid. “The question will be, can we do anything to save Spirit and make it viable, or would we be putting good money into a company that inevitably is going to be liquidated?”
Several lawmakers, both Republican and Democrats, have balked at the idea of a bailout. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas wrote on X on Wednesday that a deal for Spirit would be a “terrible idea.”
“If Spirit’s creditors or other potential investors don’t think they can run it profitably coming out of its second bankruptcy in under two years, I doubt the US Government can either,” Tom Cotton, a senator from Arkansas, posted. “Not the best use of taxpayer dollars.”
The union that represents the airline's pilots, on the other hand, voiced “strong support” for a rescue deal.
“Spirit is the reason so many Americans can afford to visit family, travel for work, or take a vacation,” said Capt. Ryan P. Muller, chair of the Spirit Airlines ALPA Master Executive Council. “When Spirit enters a market, fares go down.”
Spirit’s relatively young fleet has made it an attractive acquisition target. But previous buyout attempts from budget rivals like JetBlue and Frontier were unsuccessful both before and during Spirit’s first bankruptcy.
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AP writers Josh Boak in Washington and Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed to this report.
FILE - The tail of a Spirit Airlines Airbus A320 is shown as the plane prepares to take off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Jan. 19, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
