SC Freiburg vs. RC Celta de Vigo Europa League preview: Team news and predicted lineups | OneFootball

SC Freiburg host LaLiga side Celta Vigo in the first-leg of the UEFA Europa League quarter-final on Thursday. After breaking the record for the club’s unbeaten home streak, Julian Schuster’s side lost back-to-back league games at Europa-Park Stadion with injury-time goals conceded against Union Berlin and FC Bayern Munich.

Celta Vigo are currently in sixth place in their division, which will certainly secure them another season in Europe after recent tussles with relegation fights. Claudio Giráldez’s troops knocked out Lyon in the previous round despite finishing the first-leg at home 1-1.

This will be the first time the two clubs will meet. Freiburg have only come across Spanish opponents during the group stage of the 2013/14 season, where they lost to Europa League specialist Sevilla 2-0 both at home and in Seville.

The Breisgau Brazilians appear in their maiden quarter-final appearance following a stunning five-star performance against Genk. They will hope to maintain their perfect home record on Thursday, having won all five of their games in front of their supporters.

Meanwhile, Celta Vigo have collected ten more points on their travels compared to games at their home ground, Abanca Balaídos. The 2016/17 Europa League semi-finalists recorded their 12th away win of the season in all competitions when they beat Valencia 3-2 on Sunday.

Freiburg were on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline on matchday 28 in the Bundesliga as Bayern scored twice in injury-time to reverse a two-goal deficit. Their eighth-place standing in the league might not be enough to keep them in the continental stage next term, while they await a cup semi-final against neighbours Stuttgart.

Team News

Max Rosenfelder, Patrick Osterhage, and Jordy Makengo are not expected to return to the side, but there are no new injury concerns for Schuster. 

Javier Rueda, who scored the first goal in the 2-0 win in France, will not be part of Celta Vigo’s squad due to suspension. Fellow defender Carl Starfelt is also a doubt with a minor injury.

Predicted Lineups

Freiburg: Atubolu; Treu, Ginter, Lienhart, Kübler; Eggestein, Manzambi; Beste, Suzuki, Grifo ©; Matanović

Celta Vigo: Radu; Rodríguez, Aidoo, Alonso ©; Carreira, Sotelo, Moriba, Mingueza; López, Jutgla, Swedberg