Europa League Roundup, Playoff Round
The playoff round of the 2024/25 Europa League season showcased thrilling matches, surprising results, and remarkable performances from various players. This Europa League roundup provides an overview of the games from this round.
Galatasaray 3-6 AZ Alkmaar
AZ Alkmaar secured a convincing 4-1 victory against Galatasaray in the first leg of their playoff match. They ultimately advanced to the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League with a 6-3 aggregate victory over Galatasaray, finishing the second leg with a 2-2 draw in Istanbul. This result also marked their eighth consecutive unbeaten match against Turkish teams.
FCSB 4-1 PAOK
FCSB was close to reaching the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) after staging an impressive comeback to defeat ten-man PAOK 2-1 in the first leg of their playoff match in Greece. They secured their spot in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) for the first time since the 2012/13 season by winning 4-1 on aggregate, following a 2-0 victory against the Greek team in the second leg at Bucharest.
Bodø/Glimt 6-4 Twente
FC Twente defeated Bodø/Glimt 2-1 with the final kick of the match in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League playoff tie. Bodø/Glimt then secured their first-ever advancement to the final 16 of the UEFA Europa League (UEL), as they impressively turned around a 2-1 aggregate deficit in the second leg, winning 5-2 after extra time in a tense 120-minute match at the chilly Aspmyra Stadium.
AS Roma 4-3 Porto
Porto and AS Roma ended their first leg at the Estádio do Dragão in a 1-1 tie. In the second leg, AS Roma progressed to the UEL round of 16 by winning 3-2, resulting in a 4-3 aggregate win over Porto, marking Porto’s first defeat in a two-legged European knockout against a Serie A club.
Real Sociedad 7-3 Midtjylland
Real Sociedad achieved a notable European knockout victory, their first in 14 significant matches since defeating Atlético Madrid in November 1998, by narrowly defeating FC Midtjylland 2-1 in the first leg at the MCH Arena. They then progressed to the UEL’s final 16 for the second time in three seasons after a 5-2 win (7-3 on aggregate) against a determined FC Midtjylland at the Reale Arena.
Viktoria Plzeň 3-1 Ferencváros
A lone goal by Mohammad Abu Fani from Ferencváros was sufficient to secure a victory in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League (UEL) playoff against Viktoria Plzeň at the Groupama Arena in Budapest. However, Viktoria Plzeň bounced back from their first-leg loss to defeat Ferencváros 3-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Europa League (UEL), marking the first occasion they have advanced in a major European tournament after losing the first leg.
Anderlecht 2-5 Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe secured a strong 3-0 win over Anderlecht at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in the first leg of their playoff match. They went on to secure their place in the UEL last 16 after a thrilling 2-2 draw against RSC Anderlecht in the second leg, advancing with a 5-2 aggregate score and extending José Mourinho’s team’s unbeaten streak to 15 matches in all competitions (11 wins, 4 draws).
Ajax 3-2 Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
Ajax returned to Amsterdam with a solid two-goal advantage in their UEFA Europa League (UEL) knockout playoff match after securing a 2-0 win over Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. They advanced to the UEL Round of 16 with a 3-2 aggregate victory, thanks to Kenneth Taylor’s penalty in extra time, making their 2-1 loss in the second leg irrelevant.
