UEL: Historic Night - Freiburg Beat Celta to Make First UEFA Semi-Final

SC Freiburg beats Celta Vigo

SC Freiburg reached their first UEFA competition semi-final with a 3-1 win at Celta Vigo, 6-1 on aggregate. Igor Matanović and Yuito Suzuki scored before Williot Swedberg’s late consolation ended Celta’s 11-game home streak in European second legs.

In-form Freiburg crush Celta Vigo to reach Europa League semi-finals...

 

SC Freiburg powered into the UEFA Europa League semi-finals with a 3-1 win at the Estadio de Balaídos, sealing a 6-1 aggregate victory over RC Celta de Vigo and snapping Celta’s remarkable 11-game winning run in home European second legs.

 

Despite trailing by three from the first leg, Celta offered little resistance in the first half. Freiburg took full advantage and put the tie beyond doubt.

 

The visitors made their intent clear early on when Johan Manzambi tried his luck from distance but missed wide. Their next two shots were more clinical, though, with the opener especially spectacular.

Jean-Victor Makengo nodded a long ball down and Igor Matanović did the rest, unleashing a superb volley into the top corner for his third Europa League goal of the season.

Yuito Suzuki matched him before halftime, exchanging a neat one-two with Jan-Niklas Beste before slotting into the bottom corner with help from a deflection off Marcos Alonso’s outstretched leg.

Freiburg came into the game having conceded a competition-low six goals, meaning Celta needed to score that many in the second half alone to pull off a comeback for the ages.

  

Instead, the Germans kept scoring to match the first-leg scoreline, with Suzuki grabbing his brace.

Manzambi drove toward goal and nearly rounded Ionuț Radu, but the loose ball fell to Vincenzo Grifo, who teed up Suzuki to slot into the bottom corner.

Iago Aspas chased his seventh Europa League goal involvement of the season (3G, 3A) to give Celta some consolation, but his free-kick drifted just wide.

Freiburg stayed dangerous at the other end. Two substitutes went close, with Lucas Höler striking the post before Derry Scherhant saw his rebound tipped wide by Radu.

For Celta, Fer López flashed an effort inches past the post as his side still couldn’t test Noah Atubolu. Jones El-Abdellaoui managed to a few minutes later, but Atubolu saved well from close range.

 

Celta showed a bit more fight late on and pulled one back through Williot Swedberg in stoppage time, but they were comfortably beaten after conceding three goals for the third straight game.

Freiburg cruise to the semi-finals 🥵#UEL pic.twitter.com/nT04mPKGWH

— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) April 16, 2026

Freiburg’s defense, by contrast, was breached only once across the 180 minutes. With just their second away win in nine Europa League games (D3, L4), they cruise into a UEFA competition semi-final for the first time in club history, adding to their run to the DFB-Pokal last four.