Bundesliga side SC Freiburg powered into the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League quarter-finals with a commanding 5-1 victory over KRC Genk, overturning a first-leg deficit in emphatic fashion.
Julian Schuster’s men came into the clash trailing 1-0 on aggregate after a disappointing outing in Belgium, but they produced a dominant response in front of their home fans.
Leading the charge was Vincenzo Grifo, who delivered a historic performance on the night.
Wearing the captain’s armband in place of Christian Günter, Grifo wasted no time in making his mark. His trademark delivery from a set-piece in the 19th minute caused chaos in the Genk defence, allowing Matthias Ginter to convert and level the aggregate score.
Freiburg nearly conceded immediately after, but goalkeeper Noah Atubolu came to the rescue with a crucial save.
Ginter continued to shine at both ends of the pitch. His defensive work drew loud applause before he played a key role in Freiburg’s second goal. After regaining possession, the ball eventually fell kindly for Igor Matanović, who finished to give the hosts a 2-0 lead on the night.
Genk briefly threatened a comeback just before the break. Konstantinos Karetsas struck the post before reacting quickest to set up Matte Smets, who reduced the deficit and restored parity on aggregate.
Despite the setback, Freiburg maintained their composure heading into halftime.
The second half belonged to Grifo. The forward etched his name into club history by scoring his 106th goal for Freiburg, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer.
The goal came courtesy of a defensive blunder by Genk, gifting him a simple finish into an empty net and putting Freiburg back in control of the tie.
Yuito Suzuki then effectively ended the contest with a composed finish inside the box, showcasing great composure despite tight marking. With Genk visibly deflated, Freiburg seized complete control.
Suzuki later turned provider, setting up Maximilian Eggestein to seal a comprehensive 5-1 win and confirm Freiburg’s place in the last eight.
It was a night to remember for Freiburg, highlighted by Grifo’s record-breaking achievement and a performance that underlined their European ambitions.
