Europa League Matchday 8: Key Highlights to Watch
The league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League is reaching an exciting climax. Eleven teams are vying for the last five places in the knockout round. This will culminate in a pivotal Matchday 8, featuring a number of must-watch fixtures.
Upcoming Fixtures
All matches will kick off at 21:00 CET:
- Aston Villa vs. Salzburg
- Celtic vs. Utrecht
- Porto vs. Rangers
- Basel vs. Viktoria Plzeň
- Midtjylland vs. GNK Dinamo
- Crvena Zvezda vs. Celta
- FCSB vs. Fenerbahçe
- Go Ahead Eagles vs. Braga
- Genk vs. Malmö
- Lille vs. Freiburg
- Maccabi Tel-Aviv vs. Bologna
- Nottingham Forest vs. Ferencváros
- Lyon vs. PAOK
- Panathinaikos vs. Roma
- Ludogorets vs. Nice
- Real Betis vs. Feyenoord
- Sturm Graz vs. Brann
- Stuttgart vs. Young Boys
Key Matches to Watch
Aston Villa vs. Salzburg
Aston Villa enters this matchup with momentum after a 1-0 victory against Fenerbahçe. Under the guidance of Unai Emery, they have secured a place in the next round. Meanwhile, Salzburg is looking for their first win against an English side after eight attempts.
As midfielder Kerim Alajbegović noted, “We have nothing to lose.” Their current ranking at 28th puts pressure on them to perform well.
Panathinaikos vs. Roma
Roma achieved a fourth consecutive victory against Stuttgart last time out and is focused on a top-eight finish. Niccolò Pisilli starred in their last match with two goals. Panathinaikos secured their knockout qualification with a draw against Ferencváros but aims to improve their 19th place. Historical context favors Panathinaikos, who won both matches in their previous meeting during the 2009/10 season.
Nottingham Forest vs. Ferencváros
Nottingham Forest has already clinched a knockout phase berth but faces pressure to improve their chances of a top-eight finish. They lost to Braga previously. For Ferencváros, a victory is critical to maintaining their standing as one of three teams still unbeaten.
Real Betis vs. Feyenoord
Real Betis currently holds the final top-eight spot but must bounce back from their previous defeat. Feyenoord recently achieved a solid win against Sturm Graz but sits outside the knockout spots at 26th. With three goals scored in their last two matches, Feyenoord aims to replicate that performance.
Standings and Stakes
Lyon, having already advanced to the round of 16, seeks to secure the top position in their group against PAOK. Other teams contesting for the remaining knockout phase spots include GNK Dinamo, Lille, Brann, Young Boys, Celtic, Ludogorets, Basel, FCSB, and Go Ahead Eagles. Viktoria Plzeň’s struggle continues as they look to end a streak of four consecutive draws.
With so much at stake, Matchday 8 promises to deliver thrilling moments and impactful performances as teams battle for their futures in the tournament.
