Europa League roundup: Five-star Freiburg thrash Olympiacos to progress to knockouts

Fabio Duarte

Michael Gregoritsch (L) celebrates scoring goal for FreiburgAFP

A first-half hat-trick from Michael Gregoritsch (29) propelled Freiburg into the UEFA Europa League knockouts as they stormed past Olympiacos, consigning the Greek side to a 3rd-place Group A finish at best.

Now winless in four Bundesliga games, Freiburg fans would have been hoping to channel some of the positivity from their recent 5-0 win over TSC Backa Topola - a club-record winning margin in Europe.

The first goal was likely to be especially important given that four of Olympiacos’ last five competitive away fixtures had seen a side win ‘to nil’, so Christian Streich would have been particularly pleased to see his side race into an early lead.

With just three minutes played, Maximilian Eggestein picked out Gregoritsch, whose first-time snapshot left Alexandros Paschalakis with no chance.

Gregoritsch bagged two goals against Olympiacos last season, and inside eight minutes, the Austrian had another brace, heading in from a corner to double his side’s advantage.

The Freiburg forward could have had a hat-trick minutes later when he misdirected from close range, but it proved immaterial as he nodded in his third first-half goal.

The Breisgau Brazilians were living up to their nickname, adding a fourth goal with neat interplay from man-of-the-moment Gregoritsch, who laid the ball off for Kiliann Sildillia to power in his first senior goal.

Daniel Podence leaving the field on a stretcher was the last thing Thrylos needed after the restart, but the visitors at least managed to stem the tide in the second half.

Chances were at a premium with the contest as good as over, yet Olympiacos managed to venture forward on occasion, something they were sorely missing in the first half.

The game was in danger of petering out when a mix-up at the back presented Ritsu Doan with a simple finish, netting the game’s fifth goal, just as he did against TSC.

Georgios Masouras squandered his side’s best chance of the match in what was ultimately a record-equalling night for Freiburg, marking a fourth H2H without defeat across the last two seasons and ensuring their Europa League campaign will continue in 2024.

Meanwhile, Olympiacos’ poor record against German sides worsens with just one win in 11 European away games, meaning a place in the UEFA Europa Conference League ahead of TSC is the best they can hope for.

Flashscore Man of the Match: Michael Gregoritsch (Freiburg)