SC Freiburg have reached the UEFA Europa League semi-finals for the first time in club history after a convincing 3-1 victory over Celta Vigo in the second leg of their quarter-final tie on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
The German side, who entered the match with a 3-0 lead from the first leg, secured a 6-1 aggregate win to advance to the last four of Europe’s secondary club competition.
Igor Matanović opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a stunning volley from 20 metres after latching onto a knock-down by Jordy Makengo. Although an initial offside flag delayed the celebration, the goal was allowed to stand and put Freiburg 1-0 up on the night.
Japan international Yuito Suzuki doubled the lead just six minutes later in the 39th minute, finishing calmly in the Galician sunshine. He added his second of the night early in the second half, scoring again in the 50th minute to make it 3-0 on the night and effectively seal the tie.
Celta Vigo pulled a goal back through Williot Swedberg in first-half stoppage time, but the effort was merely a consolation as Freiburg comfortably saw out the remainder of the match to confirm their place in the semi-finals.
The victory means Freiburg will face either Real Betis or Braga in the semi-final draw, with the winner set to advance to the final in Istanbul on May 20, 2026. Winning the Europa League would grant the victor automatic qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League group stage.
Freiburg, who currently sit eighth in the Bundesliga, have never won a major trophy in their history. Their run to the Europa League semi-finals represents the deepest the club has ever progressed in European competition.
In domestic cup action, Freiburg are also set to face VfB Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal semi-final on the coming Thursday, meaning they could potentially contest two major finals in May.
The club’s success in Europe this season has also bolstered Germany’s coefficient ranking, potentially aiding their bid to secure a fifth Champions League spot for the 2026-27 season at the expense of Spain.
Celta Vigo, who were appearing in their fifth UEFA Cup/Europa League quarter-final, have only ever reached the semi-finals once before in their history. The Spanish side, currently sixth in LaLiga, were unable to overturn the deficit despite the vocal support of their home crowd at Estadio de Balaidos.
Around 1,200 Freiburg supporters made the journey to north-west Spain to cheer on their team, adding to the atmosphere in the early kick-off.
With the victory, Freiburg have now won three consecutive matches across all competitions, building momentum as they aim for historic success on multiple fronts this season.
The semi-final draw for the Europa League is scheduled to capture place on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 13:00 CET (12:00 UTC), where Freiburg will learn their opponent for the two-legged tie set to begin in late April.
Stay tuned to Archysport for continuing coverage of Freiburg’s historic European run and their pursuit of silverware this spring.
