French Clubs Face Portuguese Challenges in europa League Knockout Stages
The UEFA headquarters in Nyon witnessed the Europa league knockout stage draw this Friday, setting the stage for thrilling clashes in March. French clubs Lyon and Monaco will face tough Portuguese opposition, with Lyon drawn against FC Porto and Monaco taking on Sporting Braga. both Ligue 1 sides will have the advantage of hosting the return leg.
Historically, these matchups haven’t favored the French teams. Monaco has struggled against Portuguese clubs in recent european encounters, failing to secure a victory in their last five attempts (four losses and one draw). Similarly,Lyon has yet to taste success against Porto in European competition,suffering three defeats and one draw in their four previous meetings.
Other notable pairings include tournament favorites FC Barcelona, who will face Turkish giants Galatasaray.Spartak Moscow, the sole remaining Russian team, will travel to Germany to face RB Leipzig in the first leg.The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has impacted the competition, with UEFA relocating all matches scheduled to be held in Russia and Ukraine due to safety concerns.
The Europa League final is scheduled for May 18, 2022, at the Ramon-Sanchez-Pijuan stadium in Seville.
Marseille and rennes Seek European Glory in Conference League
in the europa League Conference, Marseille will face Swiss side FC Basel, a club known for its passionate fanbase and association with tennis legend Roger Federer. Basel recently lost their prolific striker, Arthur Cabral, who joined Fiorentina in the winter transfer window.
Meanwhile, Rennes will embark on a challenging journey, first traveling to Leicester City before hosting the return leg at Roazhon Park.
Here’s a complete list of the knockout stage matchups:
Europa League Round of 16:
atalanta Bergamo (Italy) vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)
FC Barcelona (Spain) vs. Galatasaray (Turkey)
Real Betis (Spain) vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany)
Sporting Braga (Portugal) vs. AS Monaco (France)
RB Leipzig (Germany) vs.Spartak Moscow (Russia)
FC Porto (portugal) vs.Olympique Lyonnais (France)
Glasgow Rangers (Scotland) vs. Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)
Sevilla FC (Spain) vs. West ham United (England)
Europa Conference League Round of 16:
Olympique de Marseille (France) vs. FC Basel (Switzerland)
Leicester City (England) vs.Stade Rennais (France)
PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) vs.copenhagen (Denmark)
Slavia Prague (Czech Republic) vs. LASK (Austria)
Bodo/Glimt (Norway) vs. AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands)
Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) vs. Feyenoord (Netherlands)
PAOK Salonika (Greece) vs. KAA Gent (Belgium)
Vitesse Arnhem (Netherlands) vs. AS Roma (Italy)
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