UEFA Europa League Knockout Play-offs Explained: Possible Match-ups, Key Fixtures, Draw Date & More

The UEFA Europa League 2024/25 season has reached the knockout phase and teams are set to face each other in a new playoff format. With the league phase now over, the eight teams that failed to make it into the top eight will have to come through a two-legged contest to qualify for the Round of 16.

The new format of the league phase has introduced the 36 teams in Europe, and only the eight teams qualify directly to the Round of 16. The teams placed between 9th and 24th are now in the Knockout Playoff round where they will have to engage in two matches and the aggregate score shall determine which eight teams will be promoted to the next level together with the eight teams that are seeded.

One of the key modifications of the tournament for the current year is the fact that clubs from the same country can meet in the playoffs, which may result in some interesting games. Also, clubs that were playing in the league stage are not barred from meeting in the next round which makes it more interesting. Here’s a look at UEFA Europa League knockout play-offs system.

When was the UEFA Europa League Knockouts Draw?

The draw was held on 31st January 2025 at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The draw took place on Monday and was broadcast live on UEFA.com, which football enthusiasts all over the world were watching to know their teams’ opponents in this crucial round.

Teams placed from ninth to 16th will be seeded together for instance (9th,10th,11th,12th, and so on), and drawn against a team from unseeded for example (17th, 18th,19th, 20th, etc), and the seeded team will have four potential opponents from unseeded pairs.

Also Read: Where to Watch Champions League Playoff Draw Live For Free?

Potential Opponents for Lazio, Athletic Club, Man United, & Tottenham in UEFA Europa League Knockout Play-off

Some big guns have been featured in the playoffs after they did not make it to the top eight in the league stage. This fixture is expected to be one of the most interesting of the playoffs as the two teams have rich European backgrounds. Serie A side, Roma, captained by Lorenzo Pellegrini, will be aiming at reaching the quarter-final stage after they failed to qualify for the top eight of the league phase. However, Porto is a club that has a rich continental background and will not be an easy match to face.

This match presents a clash between two old teams from the Turkey and Belgium football leagues. Fenerbahce with a strong team will take on Anderlecht who has been showing a progressive trend in the last few years. These two teams have their loyal fans so the fans are in for an exciting match.

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