Europa League draw: Nottingham Forest and Celtic learn their opponents
Nottingham Forest will face Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahce in the Europa League play-off stage, as announced in the draw held today in Nyon, Switzerland, reports BritPanorama.
Celtic has been drawn to meet German club Stuttgart, after narrowly escaping elimination earlier in the competition. The first legs of all play-off matches are scheduled for February 19, with return fixtures taking place a week later on February 26.
Forest enters the tie as the seeded side, which allows them home advantage for the second leg at the City Ground. They finished 13th in the league stage after a decisive 4-0 victory over Ferencvaros, ensuring their progression to the knockout rounds before the final results of the group stage were concluded.
In contrast, Celtic’s route to this stage was fraught with difficulty. They secured their spot only after a crucial win against Utrecht at Parkhead, finishing in 21st place in the standings. As unseeded participants, they will travel to Germany for the first leg against Stuttgart.
Aston Villa achieved the best outcome among British clubs in this season’s Europa League, having secured a top-eight finish in the league phase. This success grants them direct access to the last 16 without needing to contest the play-off round. Villa confirmed their place by edging past FC Salzburg with a 3-2 win at Villa Park, also achieving a top-two finish that places them among the elite eight, alongside Lyon, Midtjylland, Real Betis, Porto, Braga, Freiburg, and Roma.
Villa’s last-16 opponents will be determined from a group that includes Red Star Belgrade, Celta Vigo, PAOK, or Lille. As for the other play-off draw matchups, Genk will take on Dinamo Zagreb, while Bologna faces Norwegian side Brann. Ferencvaros, under the management of Robbie Keane, will battle against Bulgarian club Ludogorets.
This year’s competition reflects the ever-evolving landscape of European football, where every match is laden with implications—not just for glory on the pitch, but for club reputations and financial stakes off it. The thrill of the knockout stage is upon us, reminding us how swiftly fortunes can shift in football.
