Europa League Play-Off Draw: British Clubs Learn Their Fate
The Europa League play-off draw has been confirmed, revealing the next steps for the three remaining British clubs in the competition. Aston Villa, Celtic and Nottingham Forest now know exactly what stands between them and a place in the tournament's knockout stages.
Aston Villa Secure Direct Passage to Last 16
Aston Villa were the only British side to finish in the top eight during the league phase, guaranteeing their place in the next stage without needing to navigate the play-offs. Their impressive performance has earned them a direct route to the Last 16, where they will face one of four potential opponents: Celta Vigo, Lille, PAOK or Red Star Belgrade.
Celtic and Nottingham Forest Face Crucial Play-Off Ties
Celtic avoided elimination on Thursday night to book their place in the play-offs, where they will face German side Stuttgart. This represents a significant challenge for the Scottish champions, who narrowly avoided a potentially different path against Ferencvaros, the Hungarian outfit managed by former Tottenham striker Robbie Keane.
Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, have been rewarded for their emphatic 4-0 victory over Ferencvaros in their final league fixture with a daunting trip to Turkish giants Fenerbahce. The Premier League side will need to overcome this formidable opponent to secure their place in the Round of 16.
Complete Europa League Play-Off Draw
The full play-off draw for the Europa League knockout phase is as follows:
- Ludogorets vs Ferencvaros
- Panathinaikos vs Viktoria Plzen
- GNK Dinamo vs Genk
- PAOK vs Celta Vigo
- Celtic vs Stuttgart
- Fenerbahce vs Nottingham Forest
- SK Brann vs Bologna
- Lille vs Red Star Belgrade (Crvena Zvezda)
The play-off matches represent the final hurdle before the Last 16 proper, with British interest now focused on whether Celtic and Nottingham Forest can join Aston Villa in the next phase of European competition. These crucial ties will determine which clubs progress to face the group winners in the knockout stages.
