European football has learned the pairings for the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League round of 16. VfB Stuttgart will face FC Porto, while Freiburg will host Belgian side Genk. In England, an intense battle for European spots is underway: Crystal Palace advanced to the next round after defeating Zrinjski, while Bournemouth drew with Sunderland. Meanwhile, Lausanne-Sport's elimination from the competition has worsened Switzerland's position in the UEFA ranking.

Europa League Round of 16 Pairings

VfB Stuttgart will play FC Porto, and Freiburg will face Belgian side Genk. Nottingham Forest will meet FC Midtjylland.

Crystal Palace Advances

The London club defeated Zrinjski 2:0 and advanced to the Conference League round of 16, where they will play AEK Larnaca.

Failure for Swiss Clubs

Lausanne-Sport was eliminated from the competition, meaning there are no Swiss teams left in the cups and a drop in the UEFA ranking.

VAR Criticism in Stuttgart

VfB Stuttgart players harshly criticized officiating and the VAR system after millimeter offside decisions.

The past few days have brought a clear picture of the knockout phase of European club competitions. The draw for the round of 16 of the Europa League paired VfB Stuttgart with the decorated FC Porto. The German club advanced to this stage after a tense two-legged tie with Celtic, although Stuttgart players did not hide their frustration with Video Assistant Referee (VAR) decisions. Striker Ermedin Demirović described a millimeter offside call as „unbelievable”, calling for greater tolerance in the interpretation of rules by technical officials. The VAR system was introduced for permanent use in 2018 during the World Cup, and has since continuously sparked controversy related to the precision of offside measurements. In the Conference League, Crystal Palace achieved success, securing a place in the top sixteen after a 2:0 victory over Bosnian side Zrinjski (3:1 on aggregate). The club led by Oliver Glasner is going through a chaotic season, but progress in the cups could become its turning point. Their next opponent will be Cypriot side AEK Larnaca. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Bournemouth only managed a 1:1 draw with Sunderland, complicating their fight for European places. A point for the hosts was saved by Evanilson in the dying moments of the match. „Ich finde es unfassbar. Der Fußball braucht mehr Toleranz bei solchen Entscheidungen.” (I find it unbelievable. Football needs more tolerance with such decisions.) — Ermedin DemirovićA serious image and sporting crisis was noted in Switzerland. The elimination of Lausanne-Sport after a home defeat means the country no longer has any representatives in this edition of the European cups. This has a direct impact on the UEFA ranking, which in the future could result in fewer spots for Swiss clubs. The opposite mood prevails at Nottingham Forest, where coach Vitor Pereira had to balance the fight for European advancement with league demands. After eliminating Fenerbahçe, his team will now face Danish side FC Midtjylland. Swiss club football is experiencing a decline; just in the previous decade, FC Basel regularly reached the knockout stages of the Champions League. In other round of 16 pairings, Mainz 05 will cross swords with Czech side Olomouc in the Conference League. The German press emphasizes that the Bundesliga maintains strong representation, despite difficult play-off rounds. For many clubs, like the aforementioned Crystal Palace or Stuttgart, this year's European performances are a chance for historic achievements that could define their position on the international stage for years to come.

Mentioned People

  • Ermedin Demirović — VfB Stuttgart striker who criticized VAR decisions.
  • Evanilson — Brazilian Bournemouth striker, scorer of the goal in the match against Sunderland.
  • Oliver Glasner — Crystal Palace manager who led the team to the Conference League round of 16.
  • Vitor Pereira — Nottingham Forest manager, rotating the squad in the fight for Europe.