The Europa League round of 16 continued on Thursday, with Braga already securing their place in the quarterfinals earlier in the week after a dominant 4-0 victory over Ferencváros. The remaining four ties concluded with mixed fortunes for several teams, including the elimination of Olympique Lyon. Celta Vigo and Freiburg emerged victorious, even as a penalty shootout decided the fate of the Midtjylland-Nottingham clash.
Celta Vigo Stuns Lyon in France
Olympique Lyon, who topped their Europa League group with seven wins in eight matches, suffered a disappointing exit at the hands of Celta Vigo. The French side, however, had previously lost to Betis Sevilla in Spain during the group stage. The match at Groupama Stadium was significantly impacted by an early red card shown to Lyon defender Niakhaté. Despite a strong performance from Slovakian goalkeeper Greif, Lyon ultimately fell to a 2-0 defeat, with Rueda scoring the decisive goal – his second across both legs of the tie.
Lyon were without their key player, Alexandre Lacazette, who had been sidelined with a muscle injury for five games. During his absence, the team managed only two points in the league and were also eliminated from the domestic cup competition. The Europa League exit further compounds a frustrating period for the club.
In a dramatic finish, Lyon also saw Argentine defender Tagliafico receive a red card in stoppage time, capping off a frustrating night for the home side. Celta Vigo will now face Freiburg in the next round.
Freiburg Cruise Past Genk
Freiburg continued their impressive form in the Europa League, securing a 5-1 victory over Genk to advance to the quarterfinals. The German side has now won all five of their European home matches this season. Ginter opened the scoring in the 19th minute with a header from a Grifo free kick, and Matanovič doubled the lead just six minutes later. Smets pulled one back for Genk, but Freiburg responded strongly in the second half with goals from Grifo, Suzuki, and Eggestein.
Nottingham Forest Advance After Penalty Shootout
Nottingham Forest secured a hard-fought victory over Midtjylland, winning 1-2 after extra time (1-2 on aggregate) and then prevailing 0-3 in a penalty shootout. Domínguez and Yates scored for Nottingham in regulation time, while Erlič found the net for Midtjylland. The match went to penalties after a 1-1 draw following extra time.
Midtjylland welcomed back Danish defender Adam Gabriel from injury for the first time since September, but it wasn’t enough to secure their progression. Nottingham Forest, who hadn’t participated in European competition for thirty years, successfully converted all three of their penalty kicks, while Midtjylland failed to score from any of theirs.
Lukáš Horníček and Braga March On
As reported on Wednesday, Czech goalkeeper Lukáš Horníček played a crucial role in Braga’s advancement to the quarterfinals. Braga secured a clean sheet in their 4-0 victory over Ferencváros, overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit. Horníček was called upon to make one highly good save during the match, contributing to a dominant performance from the Portuguese side. Sport.cz details his contribution to the victory.
Horníček has also been named in the Czech Republic national team squad for the upcoming World Cup playoff against Ireland. He joins Matěj Kovář and Martin Jedlička as goalkeeping options for coach Miroslav Koubek.
Šulc Sees Late Appearance for Lyon
Czech midfielder Jan Šulc made a late appearance for Lyon in their defeat to Celta Vigo, entering the match in the 67th minute to a warm reception from the home fans. Šulc’s return to the pitch is particularly encouraging for coach Miroslav Koubek, who is hoping to have the player fit and available for the crucial playoff match against Ireland.
Europa League Quarterfinal Picture
With Braga, Celta Vigo, Freiburg, and Nottingham Forest now through to the quarterfinals, the competition is heating up. The remaining ties will determine the final four teams vying for the Europa League title. Braga will face either Panathinaikos Athens or Betis Sevilla in the next round.
The next confirmed checkpoint for many of these players will be their respective domestic league matches this weekend, followed by international duty for those called up to their national teams. Fans can stay updated on the latest news and results through official league and club channels.
Keep reading
,autocrop(1200:630))
