Everything you need to know as Europa League heads into knockout rounds

Wednesday’s conclusion of the Champions League’s opening spherical had loads of thrills and spills. Matchday 8 was no completely different within the Europa League. theScore covers the main storylines because the league section in Europe’s secondary competitors wrapped up with Thursday’s 18-game bonanza.

The most effective

An octet of massive golf equipment secured their development into the Europa League final 16.

Lazio completed atop the 36-team league regardless of shedding 1-0 of their remaining match at Braga. Olympiacos and Rangers each rose 5 positions to squeeze into the highest eight. The Greek aspect hit three unanswered targets previous Qarabag and Scottish Premiership aspect Rangers eked out a 2-1 victory over Union Saint-Gilloise.

Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Eintracht Frankfurt safeguarded their locations within the prime eight with wins. Lyon additionally stayed among the many main bunch regardless of their 1-1 dwelling draw with Bulgaria’s Ludogorets.

The remaining

Anderlecht and FCSB tumbled out of the highest eight and into playoff positions. The previous’s late comeback fell quick in a 4-3 dwelling defeat to underperforming German aspect Hoffenheim and the latter misplaced 2-0 to illustrious guests Manchester United.

Bodo/Glimt, Ajax, Actual Sociedad, Galatasaray, Roma, Viktoria Plzen, Ferencvaros, AZ Alkmaar, FC Midtjylland, Union Saint-Gilloise, PAOK Thessaloniki, and Fenerbahce all began and ended the day within the 16 playoff locations.

FC Porto and FC Twente clambered out of the elimination zone. Porto, who competed within the Champions League final 16 in every of the 2 earlier seasons, climbed from twenty fifth to 18th courtesy of a 1-0 success at Maccabi Tel Aviv. Twente stayed alive whereas concurrently dumping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Besiktas out of the competitors due to winger Daan Rots’ 76th-minute end.

Different notable names booted from Europe embrace Hoffenheim and Good. The French aspect, which at present sits fourth in Ligue 1, recorded a depressing Thirty fifth-place end after a 1-1 draw towards Bodo/Glimt on the Mediterranean coast left it with three factors from eight matches.

What’s subsequent?

The highest eight will not proceed their bid for Europa League glory till the final 16 commences on March 6.

The groups positioned ninth to twenty fourth enter playoffs to find out who will get into the spherical of 16. The primary legs are set for Feb. 13 and the return fixtures are held the next week.

The playoff-bound groups already know they will face one in every of two doable opponents. Their remaining place within the league section whittled it down to 2 prospects earlier than Friday’s draw (7 a.m. ET) locks it in. For instance, Fenerbahce, who took the ultimate twenty fourth playoff spot, will tackle Bodo/Glimt (who completed ninth) or Anderlecht (tenth).

The matchups understandably lack the heavyweight clout of the Champions League playoffs. Among the many extra interesting matchups is Claudio Ranieri’s Roma taking up both Robbie Keane’s Ferencvaros or Martin Anselmi’s Porto.

Within the spherical of 16, the 2 who progress out of AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Actual Sociedad, and Galatasaray will face Manchester United or Tottenham.

The ultimate desk

Sure for spherical of 16

Sure for playoff spherical

Eradicated