The Europa League playoffs are set, with Lazio, Athletic Club, Manchester United, and Tottenham securing direct passage to the Round of 16. Among the standout clashes, Porto vs. Roma promises to be a thrilling battle as teams fight for a spot in the next stage.
After eight matchdays, the UEFA Europa League phase has concluded, and the competition is now moving into its playoff stage, where the eight directly qualified teams await their opponents.
Direct Qualifiers
The teams that earned direct qualification to the Round of 16 are Lazio, who topped the overall standings, followed by Athletic Club, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos, and Rangers.
Europa League Playoff Matchups
Among the 16 teams that landed in the playoff spots, the most anticipated matchup is Porto vs. Roma. The winner of this high-stakes battle will move on to face either Lazio or Athletic Club in the next round.
Ferencváros and Viktoria Plzen will also compete in the playoffs, with the winner set to face either the first or second-ranked team from the overall standings.
In other key fixtures, Anderlecht, featuring Mexican star “Chino” Huerta, will take on Fenerbahçe, now managed by José Mourinho. Meanwhile, Twente will go up against Bodø/Glimt. The winners of these two matchups will face either Olympiacos or Rangers in the Round of 16.
Additionally, Union Saint-Gilloise will face Ajax, and PAOK will battle FCSB, with the victors advancing to meet either Eintracht Frankfurt or Lyon.
Finally, AZ Alkmaar and Galatasaray are set for an evenly matched showdown, while Midtjylland will face Real Sociedad in a game that could lead to an exciting clash against either Manchester United or Tottenham—arguably one of the most intriguing paths toward the Europa League final in Bilbao.
You may be interested in: The Road to the Champions League Round of 16 Is Set
Playoff Schedule
The first-leg matches will take place on February 13, 2025, while the return legs will be played on February 20, 2025.
