Round of 16 First Leg Highlights
(March 6th)
The opening leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 delivered thrilling encounters, setting the stage for dramatic second-leg deciders:
AZ Alkmaar 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur: A narrow victory for the Dutch side, putting Spurs under pressure.
Fenerbahce 1–3 Rangers: The Scottish giants secured a commanding away win in Istanbul.
Real Sociedad 1–1 Manchester United: A tightly contested draw in Spain kept the tie alive.
Roma 2–1 Athletic Bilbao: The Italian side edged Bilbao in a tense battle.
Bodo/Glimt 3–0 Olympiakos FC: The Norwegian underdogs stunned the Greek champions.
Ajax 1–2 Eintracht Frankfurt: The German side claimed a crucial away victory in Amsterdam.
Return Leg Drama (March 13th)
The second leg saw stunning comebacks, penalty shootouts, and decisive victories. Here are the aggregate results and qualifiers:
Athletic Bilbao 3–1 Roma (Agg: 4–3)
Bilbao’s second-leg fightback overturned Roma’s first-leg advantage, securing a dramatic aggregate victory.
Eintracht Frankfurt 4–1 Ajax (Agg: 6–2)
Frankfurt dominated Ajax with a clinical performance, advancing comfortably to the quarterfinals.
Lazio 1–1 FC Viktoria Plzen (Agg: 3–2) Lazio held firm to progress despite a nervy draw in Rome.
Olympiakos FC 2–1 Bodo/Glimt (Agg: 2–4)
Bodo/Glimt’s first-leg heroics ensured their historic advancement despite a late Greek rally.
Lyon 4–0 FCSB (Agg: 7–1)
Lyon’s ruthless display sealed a dominant aggregate win over FCSB
Manchester United 4–1 Real Sociedad (Agg: 5–2)
United overpowered Sociedad at Old Trafford to cruise into the next round.
Rangers 0–2 Fenerbahce (Agg: 3–3, Rangers win 3–2 on penalties)
A nail-biting penalty shootout decided the tie after extra time, with Rangers surviving Fenerbahce’s comeback.
Tottenham Hotspur 3–1 AZ Alkmaar (Agg: 3–2)
Spurs rallied at home to overturn AZ’s first-leg lead, securing a tense aggregate victory.
Quarterfinal Qualifiers
The following teams have booked their spots in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals:
Eintracht Frankfurt
Bodo/Glimt
Lazio
Lyon
Manchester United
Rangers
Tottenham Hotspur
Athletic Bilbao
Key Takeaways
Comeback Kings: Athletic Bilbao and Tottenham showcased resilience to overturn deficits.
Penalty Drama: Rangers held their nerve in a shootout, eliminating Fenerbahce in Istanbul.
Dominant Performances: Lyon and Manchester United asserted their authority with emphatic second-leg wins.
The quarterfinal draw promises more excitement as Europe’s elite vie for a place in the final. Stay tuned for updates!
