Europa League knockout round play-off stage teams
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
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Get the basics on the 16 teams who will line up in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs.
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What is the Europa League knockout round play-off stage?
There is a departure from the usual UEFA Europa League format following this season's group stage. While the eight group winners advance straight to the round of 16, the eight runners-up have another hurdle to negotiate: the new knockout round play-offs.
They have been joined by the eight sides transferring from the UEFA Champions League after finishing third in their sections, with a draw on 13 December pitting them together. UEFA.com profiles all the contenders, tie by tie.
17 & 24 February
Atalanta vs Olympiacos
Atalanta
UEFA ranking: 25
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group F (W1 D3 L2 F12 A13)
Last season: Champions League round of 16 (L 4-1agg vs Real Madrid)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: quarter-finals (1990/91)
Olympiacos
UEFA ranking: 36
How they qualified: Group D runners-up (W3 D0 L3 F8 A7)
Last season: round of 16 (L 3-2agg vs Arsenal)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: round of 16 (1989/90, 2004/05, 2011/12, 2016/17, 2019/20, 2020/21)
Barcelona vs Napoli
Barcelona
UEFA ranking: 7
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group E (W2 D1 L3 F2 A9)
Last season: Champions League round of 16 (L 5-2agg vs Paris)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: semi-finals (1975/76, 1977/78, 1995/96, 2000/01)
Napoli
UEFA ranking: 23
How they qualified: Group C runners-up (W3 D1 L2 F15 A10)
Last season: round of 32 (L 3-2agg vs Granada)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: winners (1988/89)
Dortmund vs Rangers
Dortmund
UEFA ranking: 16
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group C (W3 D0 L3 F10 A11)
Last season: Champions League quarter-finals (L 4-2agg vs Man City)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: runners-up (1992/93, 2001/02)
Rangers
UEFA ranking: 39
How they qualified: Group A runners-up (W2 D2 L2 F6 A5)
Last season: round of 16 (L 3-1agg vs Slavia Praha)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: runners-up (2007/08)
Leipzig vs Real Sociedad
Leipzig
UEFA ranking: 18
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group A (W2 D1 L3 F15 A14)
Last season: Champions League round of 16 (L 4-0agg vs Liverpool)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: quarter-finals (2017/18)
Real Sociedad
UEFA ranking: 58
How they qualified: Group B runners-up (W2 D3 L1 F9 A6)
Last season: round of 32 (L 4-0agg vs Man. United)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: quarter-finals (1988/89)
Eight await
The knockout round play-off ties take place on 17 and 24 February, with the winners advancing to March's round of 16.
The following sides await them there: Crvena zvezda (SRB), Eintracht Frankfurt (GER), Galatasaray (TUR), Leverkusen (GER), Lyon (FRA), Monaco (FRA), Spartak Moskva (RUS), West Ham (ENG)
Porto vs Lazio
Porto
UEFA ranking: 17
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group B (W1 D2 L3 F4 A11)
Last season: Champions League quarter-finals (L 2-1agg vs Chelsea)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: winners (2002/03, 2010/11)
Lazio
UEFA ranking: 29
How they qualified: Group E runners-up (W2 D3 L1 F7 A3)
Last season: Champions League round of 16 (L 6-2agg vs Bayern München)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: runners-up (1997/98)
Sevilla vs Dinamo
Sevilla
UEFA ranking: 11
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group G (W1 D3 L2 F5 A5)
Last season: Champions League round of 16 (L 5-4agg vs Dortmund)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: winners (2005/06, 2006/07, 2013/14, 2014/15, 2015/16, 2019/20)
Dinamo Zagreb
UEFA ranking: 30
How they qualified: Group H runners-up (W3 D1 L2 F9 A6)
Last season: quarter-finals (L 3-1agg vs Villarreal)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: quarter-finals (2020/21)
Sheriff vs Braga
Sheriff
UEFA ranking: 69
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group D (W2 D1 L3 F7 A11)
Last season: third qualifying round (L 1-1agg, 5-3p vs Dundalk)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: knockout round play-offs (2021/22)
Braga
UEFA ranking: 40
How they qualified: Group F runners-up (W3 D1 L2 F12 A9)
Last season: round of 32 (L 5-1agg vs Roma)
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: runners-up (2010/11)
Zenit vs Betis
Zenit
UEFA ranking: 33
How they qualified: third in Champions League Group H (W1 D2 L3 F10 A10)
Last season: Champions League group stage
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: winners (2007/08)
Betis
UEFA ranking: 82
How they qualified: Group G runners-up (W3 D1 L2 F12 A12)
Last season: did not feature in UEFA club competition
UEFA Cup/Europa League best: round of 16 (1998/99, 2005/06, 2013/14)
