181 teams have participated in the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League. Now only 16 remain. European Cup winners Celtic were crushed on their journey to the Arctic by budding hipsters’ favourites Bodø/Glimt, while Turkish giants Fenerbahçe were felled 6-4 on aggregate in a nailbiting tie with Slavia Praha. In a frankly unprecedented turn of events, I managed to call 6 of the 8 ties correctly (with only Celtic – Bodø/Glimt and Partizan – Sparta Praha confounding my expectations). Will my luck hold again in this round? Tune in to find out, as the winners of the last round face off against the Conference League’s eight group-topping sides.
Early (17:45 GMT) Kickoffs
FK Partizan – Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord were very impressive in the group stage, bringing all their European experience to bear as they coolly dispatched Union Berlin, Maccabi Haifa and Slavia Praha. They were, however, appreciably more vulnerable on the road than at home, drawing away to both Slavia and Maccabi and only narrowly beating an Union side who finished their game with nine men on the field. Partizan, despite their triumph over Europa League dropouts Sparta Praha in the first knockout round, will have to take full advantage of this chink in the armour during the first leg if they wish to stand a chance at De Kuip next week.
Feyenoord win
Slavia Praha – LASK
Austrians LASK topped the competition’s kindest group, cruising past Maccabi Tel-Aviv, HJK and Alashkert and recording the group stage’s best goal difference in the process. Given their shocking domestic campaign, this was something of a mercy, although new manager Andreas Wieland has at least ensured LASK are unlikely to face relegation this season. These low domestic stakes may work in their favour against Slavia Praha, who continue to be pushed all the way by title challengers Viktoria Plzeň. The Czechs can nevertheless take confidence from their triumph over Fenerbahçe in the last round, although they will need to shore up a defence which has thus far proven distinctly leaky in this competition.
Slavia win
SBV Vitesse – AS Roma
Vitesse and Roma have both been privy to some of this competition’s most entertaining upsets – although Vitesse will probably look back more fondly on their 1-0 home win over Nuno Espiríto Santo’s Tottenham than Roma will on their 6-1 humiliation by Bodø/Glimt in Norway. The Dutch side have nevertheless ridden their luck to be here, squeezing past Rapid Wien 3-2 on aggregate due to a late away goal in the first leg after Rapid suffered a red card. (Roma are themselves no strangers to red cards, with their last five league games producing six sending-offs between them and their opponents.) The Italians, spearheaded by competition top scorer Tammy Abraham, are nevertheless firm favourites for this tie, having recovered both domestically and continentally from a mid-autumnal wobble that had some already predicting José Mourinho’s demise.
Roma win
PAOK – KAA Gent
This is probably the most evenly-matched of the early ties, with Belgians Gent – who waltzed out of a group almost as easy as LASK’s despite an away loss to Cypriot side Anorthosis on the penultimate matchday – up against a PAOK side who rather limped out of their own group. The Greeks nevertheless rose to the challenge presented by Europa League dropouts Midtjylland in the first knockout round, recovering from a narrow away loss to go through at home on penalties. Although they have endured a disappointing domestic campaign, Gent are currently in excellent form, and although they are not exactly free-scoring their parsimonious defence will likely prove their biggest asset again here. PAOK will need to make their home advantage count again to have much hope in this tie.
Gent win
Early Games to Watch
FK Partizan – Feyenoord Rotterdam
PAOK – KAA Gent
Late (20:00 GMT) Kickoffs
PSV – FC København
It has been my view for a while that a Dutch or French side will likely win this competition, although PSV did their best to undermine my argument by making very hard work of their first knockout round tie against Maccabi Tel-Aviv. København, by contrast, were imperious in the group stage, their only misstep a loss at home to PAOK sparked by their goalkeeper getting himself sent off eight minutes into the match. Chasing a first domestic title in four years (they are only two points behind Ajax), PSV might regard this competition as more trouble than it’s worth at this stage despite their strength on paper. I smell an upset.
København win
FK Bodø/Glimt – AZ
AZ have yet to be truly tested in this competition, having made stately progress through a group that was competitive but largely below their level. In exceptional form but without a tremendous amount to play for domestically, they will probably fancy their chances against Bodø/Glimt. The Norwegians will have their own say, though, and after stirring victories against Roma and Celtic only a fool would write them off now. Manager Kjetil Knutsen has managed his latest squad overhaul to perfection, and AZ will need to keep Ola Solbakken and friends quiet if they want to avoid a bloody nose here. I am a hopeless romantic and will be watching this game in the hope that the Norwegians produce another masterclass.
FK Bodø/Glimt win
Leicester City FC – Stade Rennais FC
Leicester recovered from their Europa League disappointment by romping home against luckless Danish side Randers in the first knockout round, but are faced with a vastly tougher assignment against Rennes tonight. Rennes are vying for Ligue 1’s third Champions League spot whereas Leicester’s season is, given Brendan Rodgers’ plain distaste for this competition, functionally already over. Ever since Wesley Fofana’s horrendous preseason injury, the Foxes’ defence has been their weak spot, whereas the free-scoring Breton side have also managed to keep things relatively tight at the back. Leicester are probably favourites on paper to go through here, but as a confirmed Ligue 1 admirer I think Gaëtan Laborde and Martin Terrier have more than enough about them to cause Leicester serious problems.
Rennes win
Olympique de Marseille – FC Basel
Marseille are never far from an off-pitch crisis, and true to form are currently facing major turmoil. President Pablo Longoria and volatile manager Jorge Sampaoli are both at loggerheads and both under growing pressure as the mood around the club sours, with a slump in domestic results only adding to the tension. Marseille should nevertheless have more than enough about them to see off Basel, having summarily dispatched Basel’s groupmates Qarabağ in the first knockout round. The Swiss side are enduring a desperately disappointing league campaign, 15 points behind leaders Zürich, which cost manager Patrick Rahmen his job a fortnight ago; inexperienced young manager Guille Abascal would probably not have picked this fixture for his fourth game in charge.
Marseille win
Late Games to Watch
FK Bodø/Glimt – AZ
Leicester City FC – Stade Rennais FC
