The Groupama Stadium was silenced on Thursday, March 19, 2026, as Olympique Lyonnais—the team that finished first in the UEL League Phase—was unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League. Celta Vigo secured a clinical 2-0 victory (3-1 on aggregate), marking their first-ever win on French soil and a historic ticket to the
Quarter-Finals.
It was a night where discipline, or a lack thereof, decided the fate of the tie.
The "Niakhaté" Nightmare: 19 Minutes to Ruin
Lyon's tactical plan evaporated before the 20-minute mark. After a bright start where Endrick nearly set up Roman Yaremchuk for an opener, disaster struck.
The Red Card: In the 19th minute, Moussa Niakhaté was shown a straight red card for a clumsy challenge on Javi Rueda.
The Resistance: Despite being a man down, Paulo Fonseca’s side stayed compact in a 5-3-2 formation for over 40 minutes, with goalkeeper Dominik Greif making six world-class saves to keep the dream alive.
The Breaking Point: The pressure finally told in the 61st minute when Javi Rueda—Celta's standout performer across both legs—bundled the ball home after a deflected cross.
The Aftermath: Seven Without a Win
For Lyon, the exit marks a worrying trend. Once the most feared team in France this season, they have now gone seven games without a win in all competitions.
The absence of defensive discipline cost them dearly, finishing the match with only nine players on the pitch.
On the other side, Claudio Giráldez has guided Celta Vigo to within one round of equaling their best-ever European result. They now head into a Quarter-Final matchup against Freiburg with immense confidence.