Celta 1-3 (1-6) Freiburg
Freiburg stormed into the Europa League semifinals after a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Celta in Vigo, sealing a 6-1 aggregate triumph. The German side arrived with the confidence of their 3-0 first-leg win and chose to play as if the tie was level, rather than sitting back. From the first whistle, they overpowered Celta, leaving no doubt about their superiority over the two legs.
In the days leading up to the match, Vigo had been buzzing with hopes of a miraculous comeback. Fans packed Balaídos, believing Claudio Giráldez’s side could overturn the deficit. However, once the ball started rolling, those hopes quickly evaporated. Freiburg was a perfectly organized machine, with a clear style and technical quality that stifled Celta from the start.
The hosts barely threatened, with goalkeeper Atubolu a mere spectator. Freiburg pressed high with six players, dominated midfield through Manzambi and Eggestein, and exploited the flanks with Suzuki and Beste. Ginter marshaled a solid defense, while Matanovic was a constant menace up front. The Croatian striker opened the scoring with a stunning left-footed volley after a long ball from Ginter, Makengo beat Javi Rueda, and laid it back. That goal effectively ended any comeback hopes.
Far from easing off, Freiburg doubled their lead before halftime through Suzuki in another well-worked move, highlighting their total dominance across the 180 minutes. The score was 0-2 at the break.
Giráldez made four changes at halftime, desperate to salvage some pride, but Freiburg struck again. Manzambi produced a brilliant dribble to set up Suzuki for his second, making it 0-3 and turning Balaídos into a funeral, except for the visiting fans celebrating.
Celta finally stirred after the third goal. Iago Aspas curled a free kick, Fer López saw a shot skim the post, El-Abdellaoui had a double chance saved, Swedberg fired wide, and Jutglà hit the woodwork. Their persistence paid off in stoppage time when Swedberg scored a consolation goal.
Celta’s Europa League campaign ends with a bitter taste after such a poor showing over both legs, though their journey to this stage had been admirable.