While outfits like Milan and Sporting already have a sizable aggregate lead and have more or less secured their spot in the next stage of the Europa League, some notable matchups are yet to be decided.
Milan took care of business at home, thumping their French rivals Rennes with a 3-0 clean sheet victory at the historic San Siro. It was the English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek who got it done for I Rossoneri, scoring two goals to give Milan a dominant lead in aggregate, while Rafael Leão made Rennes’ lives more miserable with a goal of his own, giving Milan a three-goal lead in aggregate.
The Champions League hopefuls had a rough time dealing with the Group of Death, but their performance in the Europa League thus far cements their case as Champions League material.
Elsewhere, Sporting CP are also making strides in the Europa League. After finishing second in the group stages, Sporting proceeded to dominate CSB Young Boys in the first leg of their playoff tie, 3-1.
Both Young Boys and Rennes need herculean efforts to overcome their deficit and advance to the next stage of the tournament.
Meanwhile, there are other matches on the playoff slate that are still undecided. So, read more below as SBOTOP gives you an in-depth preview of the notable matches in the upcoming Europa League matchday.
Roma vs Feyenoord
Roma secured their spot in the playoffs by dominating Group G alongside Slavia Praha, where the Czech side are on their way to the Round of 16, while I Giallorossi will have to overcome the playoffs to advance.
Roma have had a rollercoaster season, with manager changes, losing streaks, and stretches of dominance. But one thing that has remained constant for Roma is the brilliance of Romelu Lukaku.
The Roma forward has his name in the scoring books in all competitions. In just seven games in the Europa League this term, the 30-year-old veteran has already scored six goals and claimed one assist.
Blazing through the group stages, Lukaku continued his stellar form in the competition with a goal against Feyenoord in the first leg of their playoff tie. And with how much the Belgian forward has been producing in the Europa League, Feyenoord should be on their heels during their upcoming clash.
Meanwhile, like Milan, Feyenoord slipped down to the Europa League after a demotion from the Champions League, where they finished third in Group E behind Lazio and Atletico Madrid.
But unlike Milan, Feyenoord were unable to immediately capitalise in the playoffs, only managing to tally a 1-1 draw against a fiery Roma outfit.
They still have a chance to reclaim their European stature, but it won’t be that easy.
Marseille vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Marseille were poised to advance to the Round of 16 unscathed, but a blunder during their last group stage match against Brighton cost them that ticket, and they are now fighting for their lives in the playoffs.
They were able to fare well against Shakhtar Donetsk in Hamburg, but they counted their chickens before they hatched, as Shakhtar Donetsk’s Eguinaldo stunned the entire stadium with an extra-time equalliser to level the aggregate at 2-2. Now, with heavy hearts, Marseille have a chance to finish the job in front of their home fans at Stade Vélodrome.
A roaring, passionate French crowd rooting for them might be the X factor for Marseille to overcome their Ukrainian rivals and produce winning Europa League 2024 results.
Shakhtar Donetsk, on the other hand, are braving the Europa League despite not having a home-field advantage due to unfortunate events. But even so, the Ukrainian side is still thriving and has a good chance to overcome Marseille.
SC Freiburg vs Lens
Freiburg wave the German flag with pride as the only representatives of the Bundesliga left in the Europa League playoffs. They were a game away from winning their cluster in the group stages, but were forced to settle for a playoff appearance.
Their first leg tie against Lens was the only match that ended in a 0-0 aggregate, as it seems that both teams are well matched, but Freiburg are the slight favourites to win against Lens as per the Europa League 2024 betting odds.
It won’t be a walk in the park for Freiburg by any means, but they would need to overcome the Champions League Contestants Lens to join their Bundesliga rivals, Leverkusen, in the Round of 16.
Lens, on the other hand, have been ramping up in Ligue 1, winning three of their last four top-flight matches and losing just one in five.
Leading Lens scorer Wesley Said has yet to activate himself in the Europa League, and if there’s a more opportune time for him to make some noise, it’s against Freiburg.
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