“τετέλεσται”, Jesus cries on the cross in the Gospel of John. “It is finished.” That great cosmic drama, the endpoint of a divine plan an eternity in the making, ended on a Judean hillside almost 2,000 years ago, and tonight marks the culmination of the similarly divine inaugural Europa Conference League group stage.
Thirty-two teams have traded blows across five thrilling weeks. New legends have been forged, old legacies tarnished. Minnows have faced down giants – and won. And as we enter the final round of group games, only one group – Group A – is completely resolved. Twenty teams still have something to play for. Europe’s most dynamic and fascinating continental competition has plenty more surprises in store.
Early Kickoffs
Group A
LASK vs HJK
FC Alashkert vs Maccabi Tel Aviv FC
Group A is, unfortunately, settled. Austrian outfit LASK are three points ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv with a superior head-to-head record, while the Israeli side are themselves four points clear of Finnish champions HJK. Armenian champions Alashkert, one of only two sides yet to earn a point, languish in last place. While neither LASK vs HJK nor Alashkert vs Maccabi Tel Aviv have anything of note riding on them, both home teams will be playing for pride – LASK aiming to finish their group unbeaten and Alashkert hoping to earn their first-ever points in European group stage competition.
Group B
FK Partizan vs Anorthosis Famagusta
KAA Gent vs FC Flora
At the halfway stage, Group B looked set to be one of the least interesting groups in the competition. Estonian debutants Flora and Cypriot Cup winners Anorthosis were well adrift of Serbian giants Partizan and the Belgians of Gent. All that certainty has been blown apart in the weeks since. Partizan have only taken one point from their last three games, including a stunning loss away to Flora last time out, while Anorthosis repeated the trick at home to Gent. The Belgian side have nevertheless secured first place thanks to their head-to-head record over Partizan, but all three other teams in the group could potentially finish anywhere between second and fourth place. Between Partizan vs Anorthosis and Gent vs Flora, the former seems to be the more closely-matched fixture, but both games ought to be fascinating.
Group C
CSKA Sofia vs AS Roma
FK Zorya Luhansk vs FK Bodø/Glimt
At one point, José Mourinho’s Roma looked on the brink of elimination from this group. The Giallorossi dispatched Zorya Luhansk 4-0 at home last time out to quell those fears and ensure qualification, but are still set to finish second and thus endure an additional qualifying round against a Europa League side. Norwegian champions Bodø/Glimt, one of this season’s great feelgood stories, are ensured top spot in the group, and automatic passage to the second round of 16, if they can equal or better Roma’s result. Both CSKA Sofia vs Roma and Zorya Luhansk vs Bodø/Glimt should end in away wins, given that neither home team has anything at all to play for, but stranger things have happened in this very group already this season…
Group D
AZ vs Randers FC
CFR Cluj vs FK Jablonec
The structure of Group D seemed fairly predictable from its outset – AZ would confidently claim top spot, CFR Cluj would languish in fourth, and Jablonec and Randers would battle for second place. So it has proven. The Czech and Danish sides could only manage a pair of 2-2 draws in their two games against each other, so neither has a head-to-head advantage. On paper Czechs Jablonec are in a tough position, a point behind Randers and therefore needing to better the latter’s result to progress. Since Randers are away to AZ while Jablonec face a comparatively gentle trip to Cluj, however, this outcome is if anything the most likely. If Randers manage a draw at AZ but Jablonec win, Randers will – remarkably – be eliminated from the competition without losing a single game. Since AZ do have motivation to finish unbeaten whereas Cluj have nothing to play for, the former fixture seems likely to be the better contest.
Standout Early Kickoffs
FK Partizan vs Anorthosis Famagusta
AZ vs Randers FC
Late Kickoffs
Group E
Feyenoord Rotterdam vs Maccabi Haifa FC
1. FC Union Berlin vs SK Slavia Praha
Home to a Champions League winner, a latter-day Champions League regular and a Bundesliga upstart, Group E was signposted as a clash of heavyweights before the first ball was kicked. Dutch heavyweights Feyenoord have nevertheless made light work of the group, assured of top spot and in line for an unbeaten group campaign if they can dispose of Maccabi Haifa. The latter side have been mathematically eliminated on account of their pair of losses to Union Berlin. The German outfit face a simple set of permutations: beat Slavia Praha and they will progress, while any other result will see the Czechs go through at their expense. The stakes are heightened for Union, since their “home” games are not actually at home – UEFA’s dislike of terracing has compelled them to play at cross-city rivals Hertha Berlin’s monumental (Nazi-built) home ground, the Olympiastadion. Whatever the outcome, this promises to be one of the best watches of the entire matchday.
Group F
FC København vs ŠK Slovan Bratislava
PAOK vs Lincoln Red Imps FC
Greek runners-up PAOK find themselves in a position not unlike that of Jablonec in Group D. Narrowly trailing Slovan Bratislava by a single goal (both their head-to-heads were draws), they must better the Slovak team’s result in order to go through. This, however, seems basically certain, since Gibraltarian minnows Lincoln Red Imps are Alashkert’s sole companions in the list of teams without a single point. København, meanwhile, recovered from their early stumble at home to PAOK and have guaranteed top spot in the group. They have nothing at all to play for, but will surely pose a sterner test for the Slovaks than PAOK will face at home to the Gibraltarian debutants. Right?
Group G
SBV Vitesse – NŠ Mura
The ongoing novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has brought controversy to Group G. Rennes are guaranteed top spot and have a shot at remaining unbeaten, but will not be able to accomplish this today due to an outbreak in the Tottenham squad. Vitesse, who are level both on points and in head-to-head terms with Tottenham, are thus in the farcical position of not knowing until some as-yet-undetermined future date whether their result against Slovenian giant-killers Mura will actually qualify them for the knockout round. Football, eh?
Group H
AS Omonoia vs Kairat FK
FC Basel vs Qarabağ FK
Kairat’s first, and so far only, point of their Europa Conference league campaign came in a drab 0-0 draw at home to Omonoia, where they were largely outplayed by the Cypriots. Their stirring near-comeback in their next game against Basel did not inspire them to greater heights, with both Basel and Azeri runners-up Qarabağ taking six points off them. Omonoia are also winless, although they have grown into the competition and managed a draw against both the Swiss and Azeri sides. They will fancy their chances, but the real drama in Group H is in Basel and Qarabağ‘s duel for the top spot. Their previous clash was another 0-0 draw which Qarabağ might justly consider themselves unfortunate to have won, but their task in Switzerland is clear: a win will see them top. Either a draw or a loss, meanwhile, will gift that honour to Basel on account of their marginally better goal-difference. The margins are razor-thin and this should be a fascinating game.
Standout Late Kickoffs
1. FC Union Berlin vs SK Slavia Praha
FC København vs ŠK Slovan Bratislava
FC Basel vs Qarabağ FK
