Europa League quarter-final first leg: Freiburg vs Celta facts

Freiburg's first-ever European quarter-final brings a first-leg visit from Celta in the last eight of the UEFA Europa League.

Freiburg recovered from losing the first leg of their round of 16 tie with Genk to win 5-2 on aggregate (0-1 a, 5-1 h). They had finished seventh on 17 points in the league phase with a record of W5 D2 L1.

Celta were 3-1 winners against Lyon in the last 16 (1-1 h, 2-0 a), having recorded the same aggregate result against PAOK in their knockout phase play-offs (2-1 a, 1-0 h). They earned 13 points in the league phase, taking 16th spot.

Last match

This is the teams' first meeting.

It is Freiburg's third match against Spanish opposition, their only previous encounters being two group stage defeats by Sevilla in the 2013/14 Europa League (0-2 a, 0-2 h).

Celta have won just one of their six matches against German teams (D2 L3) and have lost the last three, most recently 1-2 at Stuttgart on Matchday 1 this season. They are yet to win in Germany, where their record is D1 L2.

Celta lost the most recent of two knockout ties against German opposition, going down 0-3 on aggregate to Werder Bremen in the 2006/07 UEFA Cup round of 16 (0-1 h, 0-2 a). They had overcome Stuttgart 2-1 on aggregate in the fourth round of the 2000/01 UEFA Cup (0-0 a, 2-1 h).

Freiburg

This is Freiburg's seventh European campaign, including qualifying, all in the UEFA Cup/Europa League.

Prior to 2025/26, their best showings were consecutive round of 16 appearances in 2022/23 and 2023/24, losing 0-3 to Juventus (0-1 a, 0-2 h) and 1-5 to West Ham (1-0 h, 0-5 a) respectively.

Celta

This is Celta's first European campaign since 2016/17, when they were eliminated 1-2 on aggregate by Manchester United in the Europa League semi-finals (0-1 h, 1-1 a) – their best run in a major UEFA competition.

They had also made the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in three consecutive seasons between 1998/99 and 2000/01, losing on each occasion.

Key stats

Freiburg are the 22nd German club to reach the last eight of the UEFA Cup/Europa League — more than any other country.

The German side have lost only two of their last ten European matches (W6 D2).

Freiburg have won their last nine home games in UEFA competition.

Celta have lost only two of their last 11 away European matches (W6 D3).

The Spanish side have scored in their last 13 games in European competition, opening the scoring in their last seven Europa League matches.

Celta have won five of their last six two-legged European ties.