On Thursday, Celta Vigo and Real Betis took to the field for the second legs of their Europa League Round of 16 matches. Celta played against Lyon away from home, while Real Betis faced Panathinaikos at La Cartuja.
Celta Dispatches 9-Man Lyon to Reach Europa League Quarter-Finals
Lyon 0-2 Celta Vigo (1-3 on aggregate)
Celta Vigo advanced to the quarter-finals of the Europa League following a strong performance against Lyon. They began the match on a high note, taking control after Moussa Niakhaté received a red card for a high tackle on Javi Rueda, allowing Celta to dominate in search of the crucial goal.
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That goal came in the 60th minute when Rueda, who had scored in the first leg at Balaidos, found the net from close range. Ferran Jutgla then added a second with a calm finish during stoppage time. Lyon’s night worsened when Nicolas Tagliafico, who had avoided a red card earlier in the game, was sent off for receiving two yellow cards due to another dangerous tackle. Celta Vigo will now face Bundesliga’s Freiburg in the quarter-finals.
Betis Advances Comfortably After First Leg Comeback
Real Betis 4-0 Panathinaikos (4-1 on aggregate)
Real Betis secured their spot in the quarter-finals with a convincing 4-0 win over Panathinaikos. Aitor Ruibal kicked off the scoring in the eighth minute, leveling the tie, followed by a stunning long-range strike from Sofyan Amrabat that put Betis ahead on aggregate.
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Ruibal later assisted Cucho Hernandez to extend the lead to 3-0 just minutes into the second half, and Ez Abde added the final goal of the match shortly after an hour, setting up a quarter-final clash against Braga. It was a stellar evening for La Liga teams in European competitions, highlighted by Rayo Vallecano’s progression to the last eight in the UEFA Conference League, despite losing to Samsunspor at Vallecas.