Europa League: What the Draw for the Round of 16 Reveals
Olympique Lyonnais and Lille OSC Set to Face Celta Vigo and Aston Villa in Europa League Round of 16
Olympique Lyonnais and Lille OSC will respectively take on Celta Vigo and Aston Villa in the Round of 16 of the Europa League, following the draw held on Friday at UEFA’s headquarters.
The first-leg matches are scheduled for March 12, while the return fixtures will take place on March 19, according to the European competition’s calendar.
Both French clubs are poised to engage in prestigious matchups but will not face each other until the final, in line with the structure of the upcoming competition phases.
Two additional notable clashes are set for the Round of 16, including an all-Italian showdown between Bologna and AS Roma, as well as a matchup featuring Stuttgart against Porto.
In the quarter-finals, Lyon is expected to face either Freiburg or KRC Genk, potentially meeting Braga, Real Betis, Ferencváros, or Panathinaikos in the semi-finals. On the other side of the bracket, Lille could contend with AS Roma or Bologna in the quarter-finals, while a semi-final encounter may see them up against Stuttgart, Porto, Nottingham Forest, or Midtjylland.
Here is the complete list of the Round of 16 matches in the Europa League:
- Genk (BEL) – Freiburg (GER)
- Bologna (ITA) – AS Roma (ITA)
- Stuttgart (GER) – Porto (POR)
- Ferencváros (HUN) – Braga (POR)
- Nottingham Forest (ENG) – Midtjylland (DEN)
- Panathinaikos (GRE) – Real Betis (ESP)
- Celta Vigo (ESP) – Lyon (FRA)
- Lille (FRA) – Aston Villa (ENG)
