Matthias Ginter led Freiburg to a brilliant comeback win against Genk in the UEFA Europa League last 16. - © IMAGO/Grant Hubbs

bundesliga

Freiburg reach UEFA Europa League quarter-finals with stunning turnaround against Genk

20.03.2026

Freiburg overturned a first-leg deficit against Genk to reach the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals, Julian Schuster's team prevailing 5-2 on aggregate.

Freiburg 5-1 Genk (agg 5-2)
Goals: 1-0 Ginter 19’ (assist: Grifo), 2-0 Matanović 25’ (assist: Ginter), 2-1 Smets 39’ (assist: Karetsas), 3-1 Grifo 53’, 4-1 Suzuki 56’ (assist: Manzambi), 5-1 Eggestein 79’ (assist: Suzuki)

Freiburg raced into an early two-goal lead to wipe out Genk's slender aggregate advantage. Defender Matthias Ginter grabbed the first before turning provider for Igor Matanović minutes later.

Die Breisgauer didn't lead the tie for long, however, as Genk's Matte Smets scored from close range to level things up at 2-2.

After scoring twice in six minutes in the first half, Freiburg gave themselves daylight through goals from Vincenzo Grifo and Yuito Suzuki in the space of just four second-half minutes.

Maximilian Eggestein completed the rout to set up a quarter-final meeting with Spain's Celta Vigo.

As it happened!

5 - 1

(2 - 1)

Freiburg

FINAL

Genk

Europa League
Round of 16, second leg Round of 16, second leg Europa-Park Stadion

Full-time: Freiburg 5-1 Genk (5-2 agg)

What a night in Freiburg! Julian Schuster's side overturn a one-goal deficit in the tie with a thumping 5-2 aggregate win over Genk, thanks to messrs Ginter, Matanović, Grifo, Suzuki and Eggestein, whose goals see Die Breisgauer reach their first ever European quarter-final. Party time in the Black Forest!

Full-time

90'

+ 1

Up from the back

Ogbus shows real determination to get up for a Freiburg counter in the dying embers here. Suzuki leads the charge, before slipping it right to his centre-back, whose shot towards the near post is blocked behind for a corner. Höler gets his head to the resultant set-piece, but gets underneath it, sending it looping over the bar.

90'

Stoppage time

Three additional minutes have been indicated.

88'

Not their day

Ito hits an effort on the half volley from the edge of the Freiburg box. His shot is deflected behind for a corner, but Genk don't manage to convert the set-piece into anything meaningful.

84'

Flashed wide

Mirisola finds himself in a shooting position on the edge of the box but slices his effort, sending the ball flying wide of the right post.

83'

Substitution

Lukas Kübler

Philipp Treu

83'

Substitution

Nikolas Sattlberger

Daan Heymans

79'

Eggestein surely wraps things up!

What a counter-attack by the hosts! Suzuki picks the ball up at the halfway line. He turns and drives towards the opponents' goal, reaching the penalty area before teeing up Eggestein to his left, who curls the ball into the top left corner from the edge of the box. What a second half performance from Die Breisgauer!

79'

Maximilian Eggestein

GOAL!

5:1

78'

Misplaced

Freiburg find themselves in a two-against-one situation. Scherhant drives at the defender, delaying the pass to Höler to his right. However, he takes too long to move the ball on, and a recovering defender manages to intercept the pass in the nick of time.

76'

Höler sees yellow

The recently introduced forward is the latest player to have his name taken by the referee after fouling Heynen in an aerial duel.

76'

Yellow card

Lucas Höler

71'

Another triple swap

With their work done as a forward line, Julian Schuster also makes a triple change, withdrawing goalscorers Igor Matanović and Vincenzo Grifo, as well as Jan-Niklas Beste, as the Black Forest outfit look to hold onto their advantage.

71'

Substitution

Derry Scherhant

Vincenzo Grifo

71'

Substitution

Patrick Osterhage

Igor Matanović

71'

Substitution

Lucas Höler

Niklas Beste

69'

Triple change

Nicky Hayen rolls the dice with just over 20 minutes to play, making a triple substitution as his side chase a two-goal deficit. Can these substitutes help the Belgian outfit find their way back into this one?

69'

Substitution

Junya Ito

Ibrahima Sory Bangoura

69'

Substitution

Yaimar Medina

Joris Kayembe

69'

Substitution

Robin Mirisola

Aaron Bibout

66'

Suzuki down

The Japanese international stays on the turf, receiving treatment for what seems to be a head injury. He's back to his feet now, though, and is set to continue.

64'

Bangoura booked

The Genk man is the latest to go into the book for a challenge on Manzambi, who has needed treatment following that foul.

64'

Yellow card

Ibrahima Sory Bangoura

59'

Growing in physicality

Since Freiburg's fourth goal, more full-blooded challenges have been put in on both sides, resulting in more bookings. Grifo and Heymans also engaged in a verbal altercation off the ball, for which they were both cautioned.

59'

Yellow card

Johan Manzambi

58'

Yellow card

Daan Heymans

58'

Yellow card

Vincenzo Grifo

Suzuki provides two-goal cushion!

Freiburg are firing on all cylinders in the second half here! Manzambi leads a clinical counter charge for the hosts, before laying it left to Suzuki, who picks his spot and simply strokes the ball home into the bottom right corner to put Freiburg on track to reach their first-ever European quarter-final!

57'

Yuito Suzuki

GOAL!

4:1

Grifo punishes defensive error!

Freiburg lead the tie once more after calamity at the back from Genk. Goalscorer Smets plays a backpass to his goalkeeper, but overcooks it and wrongfoots him in the process. At the far post, Grifo latches onto the stray pass, before firing a low shot past Lawal to put Die Breisgauer back in the driving seat. Incidentally, with that goal - his 106th in all competitions - the Italian is now Freiburg's outright all-time leading goalscorer, surpassing the legendary Nils Petersen in the process.

53'

Vincenzo Grifo

GOAL!

3:1

50'

Off target

Up the other end, the half-time-introduced Sor bursts into the box and makes space for a shot back across goal, but blazes his effort over the bar.

50'

Misplaced

Suzuki drives his side up the field before being forced to put the breaks on. He does well to hold onto the ball, but his subsequent pass out to the right is intercepted by Kayembe.

46'

Back underway!

Freiburg's Belgian visitors get the ball rolling for the second half here. Genk make one alteration at half-time, introducing Sor for Adedeji-Sternberg in a like-for-like substitution. Freiburg emerge unchanged.

46'

Substitution

Yira Sor

Noah Adedeji-Sternberg

Kick-off!

Half-time: Freiburg 2-1 Genk

At the interval, it's all-square in the tie, though Freiburg lead in the Black Forest. Ginter's glancing header brought them back level on aggregate, before the centre-back added another goal involvement, bursting forward to provide Matanović with a finish into an open net. Freiburg weren't ahead in the tie for long, however, as Smets smashed home from close range after Karetsas' strike had rattled the woodwork. Both sides finished the half very positively in attack, setting up an enthralling final 45 minutes of normal time of this last 16 encounter.

Half-time

45'

+ 1

Over by Eggestein

Suzuki tees up the No.8 on the edge of the Genk penalty area, but Eggestein was always leaning back and fires his shot over the bar.

45'

Stoppage time

A minimum of two additional minutes have been indicated.

44'

Beste booked

The winger receives a yellow card for a late challenge on Smets.

44'

Yellow card

Niklas Beste

42'

Big chance for Genk!

Bibout cuts the ball back from the byline for Nkuba, who, from inside 12 yards and under little pressure, smashes the ball over the bar with his shin. That was a real chance for the right-back there...

Smets draws Genk level on aggregate!

Genk are back in this. Karetsas strikes the inside of the far post with a shot from a tight angle from the right, but the the Greek teenager recovers the ball, before squaring it for Smets to finish into an open net from close range. All to play for again here in Freiburg.

39'

Matte Smets

GOAL!

1:2

38'

Two bites of the cherry

Makengo delivers a teasing ball in from the left towards Suzuki. The Japanese attacks the header, but it takes a deflection of a Genk defender. However, the ball falls straight back to him, but Suzuki can't manage to fire in the rebound from close range.

36'

Into Atubolu's gloves

Heymans is played through to the byline down the right from where he tries to dig out a cross. Atubolu is alert to the danger, though, and plucks the ball out of the air at his near post.

33'

Well recovered

Adedeji-Sternberg gets past Treu, but the Freiburg man gets back into the challenge and decisively slides in to take the ball off his opponent’s foot.

30'

First booking

Matanović sees yellow for a late challenge on Smets.

30'

Yellow card

Igor Matanović

Matanović makes it two!

Two goals in six minutes see Freiburg take control of this tie! Ginter pounces on a loose pass out from the back by Genk. The goalscorer drives forward, before moving it left to Eggestein. The midfielder shifts further on to Suzuki, whose deflected shot is met by the head of Ginter at the far post, who had continued his run. The centre-back heads back across goal to Matanović, who needs only to put it into an empty net! After a VAR check for offside, the goal is given the all-clear.

25'

Igor Matanović

GOAL!

2:0

21'

Huge chance to equalise!

Almost immediately, Genk have a huge chance up the other end. Bibout gets his head to a cross at the Freiburg penalty spot, sending the ball agonisingly wide of the left post.

Ginter levels the tie!

A dream start for Freiburg, who are up and running in the second leg here! Manzambi fouled high up on the left touchline. Grifo takes the free-kick, whipping in a cross, which Ginter - who was all alone - flicks with his head in off the far post.

19'

Matthias Ginter

GOAL!

1:0

17'

Can't bring it down

A cross is played towards the far post where Suzuki and Beste had both made good runs. The former is picked out, but he can't control the ball inside the six-yard box, and Genk manage to scramble it clear.

15'

Offside

Matanović wins the ball back high up the pitch. He tries to tee up Grifo in the box, who has to stretch to connect with the shot. His effort is blocked and falls to Beste, who was in an offside position.

Cagey affair

Both sides have worked hard in the opening phases here, but clear-cut chances have been hard to come by. As expected, Freiburg have seen more of the ball, but are wary of committing too many men forward against a Genk side that are looking to play on the counter-attack.

10'

First corners

Grifo takes Freiburg's first corner of the game from the left. He plays it short to Beste, whose return pass to the Italian is intercepted. Freiburg manage to recover the ball, working it through Treu before winning another corner, which Beste takes. Again, Die Breisgauer can't capitalise on the set-piece.

On target

Heymans gets up from midfield to latch onto a cross from the right. He connects with the ball on the edge of the box, guiding it on target. Nevertheless, it's a tame effort, allowing Atubolu to save with no real trouble.

Dived on by Lawal

Grifo plays Beste to the byline down the left flank, from where the former Heidenheim winger smashes a low cross towards the near post. It's too close to Genk's keeper, though, who smothers the cross.

Adedeji-Sternberg takes

Manzambi fouls Karetsas about 30 yards from goal. Adedeji-Sternberg stands over the set-piece before delivering a ball to the far post, which Freiburg deal with comfortably.

Just too much

Beste evades a challenge on the right flank before trying to send Suzuki through into the visitors' box. He puts too much on the pass and the Genk keeper dives on the ball.

Risky

Treu plays a pass back to Atubolu under pressure from his opponents. It looks as if it might not reach the Germany youth international goalkeeper, but the custodian rushes out to clear.

And we're off!

The ball is rolling here in Freiburg for this crucial second leg for Die Breisgauer.

Kick-off!

Tonight's captain

Vincenzo Grifo will don the armband for Freiburg tonight in Christian Günter's stead, who starts on the bench this evening.

Warm-ups underway

There are just over 15 minutes until kick-off here...

Unstoppable force, immovable object?

Genk have won five of their last six away matches in UEFA competitions, and have lost only one of their last nine Europa League matches (W6 D2), coming into this game unbeaten in their last five (W4 D1). They have also won all five of their previous two-legged UEFA ties in which they took a one-goal lead into the away leg. However, Freiburg have won each of their last eight UEFA home games, keeping six clean sheets in that run.

More on that Genk side

Likewise, Nicky Hayen also makes the one change to the side he fielded for the first-leg victory. As expected, he replaces goalscorer El Ouahdi (pictured) - who serves a suspension tonight - with Nkuba in the right-back position.

More on that Freiburg side

Julian Schuster makes just one change to his starting XI compared to the first leg with Maximilian Eggestein (pictured) taking the place of Patrick Osterhage. Jan-Niklas Beste, Yuito Suzuki and Vincenzo Grifo were all rested for the weekend defeat to Union, and as such should be raring to go this evening.

Freiburg starting XI

Atubolu – Treu, Ginter, Ogbus, Makengo – Eggestein, Manzambi – Beste, Suzuki, Grifo (c) - Matanović

Freiburg subs

Müller, Huth, Lienhart, Jung, Osterhage, Scherhant, Höler, Kübler, Irié, Philipp, Höfler, Günter

Genk starting XI

Lawal – Nkuba, Kongolo, Bangoura, Smets, Kayembe – Heymans, Heynen (c), Adedeji-Sternberg – Karetsas, Bibout

Genk subs

Van Crombrugge, Mounganga, Sadick, Steuckers, Ito, Sor, Medina, Sattlberger, Mirisola, Yokoyama, Palacios, Erabi

Water-tight defence

Despite trailing 1-0 on aggregate and in addition to their superb home record, the Breisgauers will also take comfort from the knowledge that they had the best defensive record in the league phase, conceding only four goals en route to a seventh-place finish, meaning Genk will have their work cut out for them in looking to extend their advantage.

Patrick Osterhage confident of home advantage

"We addressed what went wrong in the first leg. It's great that we now have the opportunity to do better at home. It's our job to get the fans behind us as a team. If we lead from the front, we create the atmosphere. Then some of them will shout even louder."

Nicky Hayen on the second leg

"Attack is the best form of defence, but you have to keep in the back of your mind that you have a one-goal advantage. We need to manage that intelligently, without sitting back. We know they have a strong reputation at home, stronger than away. We approached the first leg like any other, with the intention of winning and with the right level of concentration. [The second leg] will be no different."

Genk team news

The Belgian side, meanwhile, are set to be without the suspended Zakaria El Ouahdi, who scored the winning goal in the first leg. Right-back Ken Nkuba could feature, with highly rated youngster Konstantinos Karetsas just ahead of him on the wing.

Freiburg team news

The hosts are set to be without Max Rosenfelder due to another injury set-back (hamstring), meaning Matthias Ginter and Bruno Ifechukwu Ogbus are likely to partner each other in the heart of the defence. Midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh is closing in on a return to action, although it remains to be seen if he'll feature against Genk.

Julian Schuster on overturning the first-leg deficit

"Ultimately, you have to say that the result is such that everything is still open, and that's important. We are also convinced that we must show a better performance next week, so that we can turn the game and the result around."

Home fortress

Despite their weekend loss to Union, Freiburg's home record is still among the best in the division. In Europe, they're still yet to lose at the Europa-Park Stadion, winning all four of their league phase games there.

Belgians coming in hot

Following their first leg win over Julian Schuster's side, Genk picked up another 1-0 win over Sint-Truiden in the Belgian Pro League.

2:03

Watch: Freiburg 0-1 Union Berlin - highlights

Freiburg made it consecutive 1-0 losses with their defeat to Union Berlin on Matchday 26. That marks just their second home loss of the season in any competition.