Celta Vigo vs Freiburg prediction 16.04.2026 | Europa League

For most of the 2025/26 season, Celta played above expectations. With fifth place in La Liga potentially securing a Champions League spot, the Vigo side are likely to be in the mix with several other teams competing for that extra berth. However, Celta's form is far from encouraging, with three defeats in the last four matches across all competitions. In the previous game, they lost 3-0 at home against Oviedo. Although Claudio Giraldez's team had ball possession on their side, the guests played with significantly more determination and heavily beat the hosts.

After a defeat over the weekend against Oviedo, Celta's head coach, Claudio Giraldez, was, as expected, disappointed. He said, "We knew the opportunity we had today. You get the feeling you have a chance, and you're not able to seize it. The team, in the pre-match press conference, showed me they were fully focused on the game. We had good moments in the first half, but we lacked the finishing touch."

Celta Vigo have some problems with injuries. They will be without Mihailo Ristic, Miguel Roman, Carl Starfelt, and Hugo Alvarez on Thursday evening.

Freiburg are only a mid-table Bundesliga this season and their only chance to play in the European competition next year is to win the Europa League. Freiburg have been excellent lately, with four wins in the last five matches. In the most recent outing, they won 1-0 on the road against Mainz. A draw always seemed the most realistic outcome, but the visitors' better efficiency was enough that time for all three points. 

The most encouraging thing about Freiburg lately is their offense. They scored 13 goals in the last five matches and with Celta having so many defensive issues lately, Julian Schuster's team could have another high-scoring game on Thursday evening. 

Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Max Rosenfelder are unavailable for the upcoming tie, while Matthias Ginter and Patrick Osterhage are questionable.