The draw for the Europa League and Conference League round of 16 took place in Nyon. The biggest highlight of this phase will be an all-Italian clash between Bologna and Roma. Spanish media speak of a "favorable" draw for Real Betis and Celta Vigo, while French Lille drew favored Aston Villa. The events were accompanied by a record from Olivier Giroud, who became the oldest scorer in the competition's history.

Italian Clash of Giants

Bologna will face AS Roma in the only pair consisting of clubs from the same federation at this stage.

Olivier Giroud's Record

The Frenchman became the oldest scorer in Europa League history and reached the 300-goal milestone at club level.

German-Portuguese Duel

VfB Stuttgart will fight for a quarterfinal spot against the decorated FC Porto.

Opportunity for Spanish Teams

Betis and Celta Vigo avoided the strongest opponents, drawing Panathinaikos and Lyon respectively.

The draw ceremony in Swiss Nyon produced eight pairs that will compete for a Europa League quarterfinal spot. The most exciting matchup is the confrontation between two Serie A representatives – Bologna and AS Roma. Marco Di Vaio, the sporting director of the club from the Emilia-Romagna region, openly admitted that the team would have preferred to avoid a domestic league opponent at this stage of the competition. Meanwhile, Spanish teams can speak of moderate optimism. Real Betis will face Panathinaikos Athens, led by Rafa Benítez, who is very well-known in Spain, while Celta Vigo will host Olympique Lyon, whose squad includes the talented Endrick. German clubs also learned their opponents. VfB Stuttgart, which advanced after a dramatic two-legged tie with Celtic, will play against FC Porto. SC Freiburg will try its hand against Belgian KRC Genk. Polish fans will closely follow the "Polish match" in the colors of foreign clubs, which heats up the atmosphere ahead of the March fixtures. In the French media, the narrative is dominated by the difficult task for LOSC Lille, which must face Aston Villa, considered one of the main contenders for the final triumph. For Lausanne-Sport, the cup adventure has come to an end, heralding a difficult end to the season in the Swiss league. Alongside the draw results, the sports world was abuzz with news of Olivier Giroud's record achievement. The French striker, representing an Italian club, scored his 300th club career goal, simultaneously becoming the oldest scorer in Europa League history at the age of 39. This feat fits into the broader context of the dominance of experienced snipers in European cups. The round of 16 matches are scheduled for March, and the stakes are high not only due to prestige but also the UEFA country ranking, where Spain is fighting for an extra spot in next year's Champions League. The UEFA Cup, transformed in 2009 into the Europa League, is the second most important club tournament on the continent, and its winner receives a direct pass to the Champions League group stage.„Avremmo evitato volentieri la Roma.” (We would have gladly avoided Roma.) — Marco Di Vaio

Mentioned People

  • Olivier Giroud — Striker who broke the age record for scoring a goal in the Europa League.
  • Marco Di Vaio — Bologna sporting director, commenting on the draw result with Roma.
  • Rafa Benítez — Panathinaikos coach, who after years will face a Spanish club again.