Freiburg, Germany’s sole remaining contender in this season’s Europa League, hosted Spanish club Celta Vigo for the opening match of their quarter-final tie. The Europa-Park Stadion was a vibrant spectacle as the German side aimed to extend their most successful European campaign to date.
After a relatively smooth progression through the group stage, Julian Schuster’s team faced a challenge in the previous round. Despite a first-leg defeat against Genk in Belgium, they rallied impressively in front of their home supporters, securing a resounding 5-1 victory on the night to advance.
Celta Vigo, currently sixth in LaLiga, is also enjoying a successful season and presented a formidable opponent for Freiburg. The Galician team reached this stage by overcoming PAOK in the knockout play-off and then impressively defeating Lyon in the round of 16.
Head coach Julian Schuster made three alterations to his starting lineup following a late home defeat to Bayern Munich on Saturday. Jordy Makengo, Vincenzo Grifo, and Igor Matanović were brought in, with Christian Günter, Derry Scherhant, and Lucas Höler making way.
The hosts started the match assertively, controlling possession for nearly three-quarters of the opening period. Just ten minutes into the game, captain Vincenzo Grifo put his team ahead with a spectacular strike from outside the penalty area.
The goal spurred Celta Vigo into action, and they began to dictate possession, though without creating significant scoring opportunities. Their lack of attacking threat was punished just past the half-hour mark when a brilliantly executed Freiburg move culminated in Igor Matanović setting up Jan-Niklas Beste, who tapped into an empty net for his first European goal.
This second goal shifted the momentum further, and Freiburg began to play with remarkable freedom, frequently breaking down Vigo’s defense. Their best chance to extend their lead before halftime came when Johan Manzambi found himself with an acute angle on goal. Despite a good effort, his shot struck the post.
Freiburg maintained their control throughout the second half, actively seeking a third goal to effectively seal the tie. With less than fifteen minutes remaining, Matthias Ginter obliged, heading home powerfully from a Jan-Niklas Beste corner to further solidify Freiburg’s advantage.
With the match largely decided, Celta Vigo missed a clear opportunity to get back into the contest. On-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers player Fer López found himself unmarked within the six-yard box but could not direct his volley on target.
Before the final whistle, substitute Lucas Höler almost added a fourth goal, attempting to chip the ball over the advancing Ionuț Radu. However, the Romanian goalkeeper managed a slight touch, guiding the ball just wide of the post.
This was a true team effort and a deservedly comprehensive victory for Freiburg, who now have a significant advantage heading into the second leg and are firmly positioned for a place in the semi-finals.
Freiburg 3-0 Celta Vigo | Player Ratings
Freiburg:
Noah Atubolu (7) – Philipp Treu (7), Matthias Ginter (8), Philipp Lienhart (7), Jordy Makengo (6) – Maximilian Eggestein (7), Johan Mazanbi (7) – Jan Niklas Beste (8), Yuito Suzuki (6), Vincenzo Grifo (7) – Igor Matanović (8)
Substitutes: Derry Scherhant (7), Lucas Höler (6)
Man of the Match: Igor Matanović (8)
An impressive, albeit somewhat understated, performance from the 23-year-old striker. Matanović led the line exceptionally well, contributing a crucial assist and serving as Freiburg’s main attacking threat throughout the match.
