The draw for the round of 16 of the Europa League and the Europa Conference League took place in Nyon. Fans can look forward to several high-profile clashes, including an Italian derby between Roma and Bologna and a match-up between Aston Villa and Lille. Spanish media speak of a favorable draw for Betis and Celta, while German clubs – VfB Stuttgart and Freiburg – are preparing for tough matches against Porto and Genk.

Italian Derby in the Europa League

AS Roma will face Bologna in the most interesting clash of the round of 16, which will impact Italy's national ranking.

High-Profile Clash for Aston Villa

The English side from Birmingham drew Lille, considered a premature final of the competition.

Spanish Hopes for Advancement

Betis and Celta Vigo received relatively accessible opponents, opening a path to the quarter-finals.

The ceremony in Swiss Nyon determined the round of 16 pairs for the second and third most prestigious European club competitions. In the Europa League, the most attention is drawn to the internal clash of Italian teams. Bologna, the revelation of the competition, will face AS Roma. Bologna's sporting director, Marco Di Vaio, admitted the club would have preferred to avoid a fellow Italian side, highlighting the complicated situation for the UEFA ranking, as one Italian club must be eliminated at this stage. The English representatives, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, learned their opponents with moderate optimism. Aston Villa, under Unai Emery, will take on French side Lille, promising to be one of the most evenly matched ties of this round. Nottingham Forest drew Danish side FC Midtjylland, which the local press sees as a chance to advance to the quarter-finals, despite the need to balance the European campaign with a difficult situation in the Premier League. The Spanish also have reasons to be satisfied – Real Betis will play against Panathinaikos Athens, and Celta Vigo will host Olympique Lyon, featuring Brazilian talent Endrick. Since the 2021/2022 season, the UEFA competition format has been expanded to include the Europa Conference League, increasing the number of matches and opportunities for clubs from smaller leagues to achieve international success.In the Europa Conference League, German side FSV Mainz will face Czech side Sigma Olomouc, and London's Crystal Palace will play against Cypriot side AEK Larnaca. Italian side Fiorentina, last year's finalist, is considered the favorite in its clash with its new opponent. This draw is crucial for the battle for the fifth spot in next year's Champions League, fiercely contested by the Spanish and Italian leagues. The results of the upcoming two-legged ties will directly impact the prestige and financial revenue for entire national federations. Polish fans are following the draw with interest due to a potential "Polish match," where Polish national team players representing foreign clubs could face each other. German side VfB Stuttgart, in excellent form, faces a tough challenge against the decorated FC Porto, while Freiburg will have to prove its superiority over Belgian side KRC Genk.

Mentioned People

  • Endrick — Brazilian forward playing for Lyon.
  • Vitor Pereira — Manager of Nottingham Forest.
  • Rafa Benítez — Experienced manager of Panathinaikos.