[h2][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/panathinaikos/SENMmweG/"]Panathinaikos[/a] continue incredible run[/h2][p][b]10[/b] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bologna/0M9xNN8N/"]Bologna[/a] failed to hold onto their lead in their all-Italian clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/as-roma/zVqqL0ma/"]AS Roma[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/as-roma-zVqqL0ma/bologna-0M9xNN8N/?mid=0x5TgttH"]with the match ending 1-1[/a]. The hosts took the lead through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bernardeschi-federico/Ghmdi8ej/"]Federico Bernardeschi[/a], only for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pellegrini-lorenzo/8GVcLWJk/"]Lorenzo Pellegrini[/a] to draw level for the visitors later on. [i]Rossoblu[/i] remain unbeaten at home in UEFA Cup/Europa League play, which is an incredible feat. However, that was their 10th draw in such matches in the competition.[/p][embed guid="e3e78d8e-9a13-4d87-9419-4bab6d2181ef" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032180348268765624?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]2[/b] - Roma will be relieved not to have lost what was always going to be a tricky match for them. It was a back-and-forth contest between two teams who know each other well, and now the [i]Rossoneri[/i] will feel they have the upper hand at home for the return leg. In what was their seventh match against a fellow Italian team in Europe, Roma have drawn such a game for the second time (3-2-2), with the other stalemate coming at this stage against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fiorentina/Q3A3IbXH/"]Fiorentina[/a] 11 years ago. [/p][p][b]13[/b] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lille/pfDZL71o/"]Lille[/a] will have to do what they did in the knockout play-offs and try to overcome a first leg deficit as an Ollie Watkins goal saw [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/aston-villa/W00wmLO0/"]Aston Villa[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/aston-villa-W00wmLO0/lille-pfDZL71o/?mid=xS5dusRN"]prevail 1-0 in France[/a]. There was not a whole lot to separate the two teams besides the goal, which should give [i]Les Dogues [/i]hope of turning things around next week. Lille have lost six times in continental play, something they have not in 13 years, when they did the same thing in the Champions League.[/p][embed guid="84069b25-db17-469b-9c97-5c87f824d2f5" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032181067088543974?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]6[/b] - Villa, who finished joint top of the league phase, are looking quite strong on the European scene. They have proven to be difficult to beat, evidenced by the fact that just one side has been able to get the better of them in this run. The Villans will surely be the favourites to move through, but should still be wary of their opponents. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zaire-emery-warren/neJeseDL/"]Unai Emery[/a]'s men are on a six-game winning streak in Europe, the best they have ever done.[/p][p][b]5[/b] - A late penalty from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/taborda-vicente/OfNT2be3/"]Vicente Taborda[/a] helped Panathinaikos edge [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/betis/vJbTeCGP/"]Real Betis[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/betis-vJbTeCGP/panathinaikos-SENMmweG/?mid=dl4tqPRb"]1-0 in Athens[/a] to take a vital first leg lead. Despite playing down a man for nearly half an hour in the second half, the Greeks held firm, netting the winner moments after Betis also had a player sent off. This will feel like a very good victory for [i]Prássinoi, [/i]especially considering their struggles with Spanish opposition. This was just their fifth victory against LaLiga sides (5-8-21).[/p][embed guid="b4f9f301-f29c-4268-84cf-497630b296f4" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032181826261864887?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]3 [/b]- Real Betis will have their work cut out for them in the return leg. They will be disappointed not to have made the most of the man advantage, having dominated the match in general. Last season's UEFA Conference League finalists will have to score at home next week, otherwise they will once again exit at this round. It is already the third time that [i][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lossl-jonas/63jKLoYD/"]Los Verdiblancos[/a][/i] have been kept off the scoresheet for the third time this season's Europa League.[/p][p][b]18[/b] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/vfb-stuttgart/nJQmYp1B/"]Stuttgart[/a] suffered another home defeat, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/fc-porto/S2NmScGp/"]Porto[/a] being the perpetrators on this occasion. A pair of goals in six minutes midway through the first half did the damage at the Bundesliga side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/fc-porto-S2NmScGp/stuttgart-nJQmYp1B/?mid=Iep18ueA"]fell 2-1[/a]. While the tie is not over, it will be a much sterner task in Portugal next Thursday. For the first time in 18 years, Stuttgart have lost consecutive home games in Europe, having been beaten by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/celtic/QFKRRD8M/"]Celtic[/a] in the knockout round play-offs at MHPArena.[/p][embed guid="2f7f544c-eba0-452d-b51d-064b40c06296" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032182157670588845?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]8[/b] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/moffi-teremas/ny2HpVKp/"]Terem Moffi[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mora-rodrigo/rFpsoDia/"]Rodrigo Mora[/a] were the goalscorers for [i]Dragoes [/i]as they stunned their opponents to continue what has been an impressive UEL campaign. The only team left in the competition to have lifted the trophy - back in 2010/11 - the Portuguese league leaders are now 90 minutes away from a first quarter-final in the UEL in 11 years. Porto have scored in their last eight games versus German teams in continental play.[/p][h2]Upsets highlight late games[/h2][p][b]12[/b] - [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rueda-javier/tt4Mm9ws/"]Javier Rueda[/a]'s first half opener for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/celta-vigo/8pvUZFhf/"]Celta Vigo[/a] was cancelled late on by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/lyon/2akflumR/"]Lyon[/a]'s Endrick [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/celta-vigo-8pvUZFhf/lyon-2akflumR/?mid=8AdSZKlo"]as the sides drew 1-1[/a] at Estadio de Balaidos. It leaves the tie in a fascinating position heading into the decider at Parc OL. Celta managed to beat the other Ligue 1 sides during the league phase, and were three minutes away from doing the same to Lyon, but faltered late on. The hosts have scored in their last 12 matches in European competition, which could be a good omen for them.[/p][embed guid="be3047e2-ee64-4d3e-911e-26f626e4e95e" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032217963080642637?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]20[/b] - Lyon were on top of the home side in the second half, enjoying 76% of the possession as they searched for the equaliser. In the end, Paulo Fonseca's men managed a draw, which is just the second time they failed to win in the UEL this term. Perhaps they were a bit unfortunate not to grab the winner, considering they mustered 20 shots throughout the 90 minutes, 13 of which coming in the second half.[/p][p][b]24[/b] - Hungarian side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ferencvaros/pKS9M7R7/"]Ferencvaros[/a] continued their impressive run in the UEL [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/braga-dpUer7ht/ferencvaros-pKS9M7R7/?mid=MiZv1cmp"]with a stunning 2-0 defeat[/a] of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/braga/dpUer7ht/"]Sporting Braga[/a] in Budapest. A goal in either half were enough for Fradi to prevail in what was a huge first leg victory. They are on the cusp of a first quarter-final in the UEL since 1971/72, when they made the semis of the UEFA Cup. Thursday's success also saw them keep successive clean sheets for the first time in 24 years.[/p][embed guid="2c4ae391-7d70-439b-a267-358f5eb048d4" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032215399014547769?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]28[/b] - It is a tough situation for Braga to be in, as they had 70% possession but had less shots. Their return leg will be on Wednesday next week, and will need at least two goals to stand a chance at advancing. Clean sheets have not come easily for the Portuguese on the road in knockout round games. Since they last kept a side out in such a match, they have conceded a whopping 28 times in 12 matches.[/p][p][b]4[/b] - Nine years on from their other quarter-final appearance, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/genk/r3jWUIiN/"]Genk[/a] have a narrow first leg advantage. The Smurfs got their goal from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/el-ouahdi-zakaria/OpbqnKI9/"]Zakaria El Ouahdi[/a] as they edged [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/freiburg/fiEQZ7C7/"]Freiburg[/a] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/freiburg-fiEQZ7C7/genk-r3jWUIiN/?mid=MBBW6my3"]1-0 in Belgium[/a]. With that said, the Limburg-based club will be disappointed not to have scored more, seeing they had nearly triple the shots in the match (17-6). It is another clean sheet though, their fourth in the competition this campaign.[/p][embed guid="d436c164-f3a2-40b4-92ad-121e32fc8ad7" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032216610753171744?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]7[/b] - Freiburg have never gone farther than the round of 16 in the UEL, and will already have a more challenging task for them when they return home. Perhaps the only good thing is that they are only down by a goal in this tie. Before this, they had never faced a Belgian club in European play. Out of the now 13 defeats the Bundesliga team have suffered on the continental stage, it was the seventh time they lost by just one goal.[/p][p][b]30 - [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/nottingham/UsushcZr/"]Nottingham Forest[/a] have been beaten by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/midtjylland/8GZDmdbB/"]FC Midtjylland[/a] at home for the second time in the Europa League this term. This time, it took a late [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cho-kyu-sung/Kb3dhzfM/"]Cho Gue-Sung[/a] goal for the Danes to see off The Tricky Trees [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/midtjylland-8GZDmdbB/nottingham-UsushcZr/?mid=4Yg7nbYj"]1-0 at the City Ground[/a]. Forest now face a tricky trip to Denmark to try and overcome this deficit. A side who almost scores at home in Europe, it is the first time in three decades in which they have been shut out.[/p][embed guid="664a9975-fd37-42fa-a77c-878d8fee3871" url="https://x.com/EuropaLeague/status/2032214484161372243?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]11[/b] - Midtjylland have [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/soccer-superliga-exclusive-fc-midtjylland-see-no-reason-why-they-shouldn-t-win-the-europa-league/MRvC9cAr/"]stated their ambition of going all the way in this term's Europa League[/a], and with their victory on the road, they will have reason to believe. [i][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/christiansen-mads/nivvODPI/"]Hedens Drenge[/a][/i] scored the joint-most goals during the league phase, but it was their defence that got the job done. Their most impressive feat, however, is the fact they now have 11 away goals in the UEL proper this term, more than anyone else.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/europe/europa-league/"]Follow all of the UEFA Europa League knockout round action on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p]
One stat from each team after the first legs of the Europa League last 16
A tense night of action commenced the UEFA Europa League round of 16, with only one game being decided by more than one goal. Here is one stat from each team involved in Thursday's action.
Mentioned
David Parkes
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Global
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Features
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Top Feature
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Denmark
· tag
Europa League
· tournament_template
Soccer
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Aston Villa
· participant
Betis
· participant
AS Roma
· participant
Lille
· participant
Lyon
· participant
Bologna
· participant
Panathinaikos
· participant
Celta Vigo
· participant
FC Porto
· participant
VfB Stuttgart
· participant
Braga
· participant
Nottingham
· participant
Freiburg
· participant
Midtjylland
· participant
Ferencvaros
· participant
Genk
· participant
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