Europa League games of the season: Which is your favourite?
Monday, May 23, 2022
Article summary
Eintracht Frankfurt's taming of Barcelona makes the top ten, but which other matches thrilled you? See our picks and have your say.
Article top media content
Article body
The 2021/22 UEFA Europa League has not disappointed once again, with thrilling games from the off in another stellar season of European competition.
With Frankfurt having beaten Rangers on penalties in the final, UEFA.com picks out ten games that had us on the edge of our seats. Vote for your favourite.
Rangers 3-1 Leipzig
05/05/2022, semi-final second leg
Having spent much of the first leg on the back foot, limiting the damage to a 1-0 defeat, the Scottish side started on the front foot back in Glasgow at Ibrox. With the grand old stadium rocking (literally at times), Rangers soon overturned the deficit. Leipzig eventually replied, and extra time beckoned before John Lundstram struck a late winner.
Must-see moment: Lundstram's strike was more 'You beauty!' than beauty, but what a moment.
Barcelona 2-3 Frankfurt
14/04/2022, quarter-final second leg
The Spanish side were favourites after drawing the away leg 1-1 but they were sensationally overwhelmed at the Camp Nou with Filip Kostić scoring either side of Rafael Borré's goal. Xavi Hernández's men hit back twice in added time but could not deny Oliver Glasner's Frankfurt a famous success.
Must-see moment: Borré's brilliant second goal – a rising 25-metre drive into the roof of the net.
West Ham 2-0 Sevilla
17/03/2022, round of 16 second leg
The Europa League specialists led 1-0 from the first leg but had no answer to David Moyes' relentless side in the return fixture. Tomáš Souček's towering header levelled the aggregate score and, though Sevilla held out for extra time, Andriy Yarmolenko tapped in the winner to send the London Stadium ecstatic.
Must-see moment: The scenes in the stands after Yarmolenko's 112th-minute winner.
Napoli 2-4 Barcelona
24/02/2022, knockout round play-off second leg
The boot was on the other foot for the Blaugrana after being held at home, but Xavi's men were in a rich vein of form. Jordi Alba and Frenkie de Jong set the tone inside 13 minutes and when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang made it 4-1 just shy of the hour, Napoli's hope were extinguished.
Must-see moment: De Jong's nonchalant curling effort from the edge of the area to make it 2-0.
Dortmund 2-4 Rangers
17/02/2022, knockout round play-off first leg
The Scottish champions had only scored six goals in as many group games to squeeze into the play-offs, yet they found the net four times in 17 minutes to leave Dortmund dumbfounded. James Tavernier, Alfredo Morelos, John Lundstram and an own goal gave the German side too much to do with only 54 minutes of the first leg played.
Must-see moment: Lundstram whipping his finish across Gregor Kobel to make it 3-0.
Leverkusen 3-2 Celtic
25/11/2021, group stage Matchday 5
Rangers' Glasgow rivals were involved in their fair share of drama too. Goals from Josip Juranović and Jota looked set to breathe life into Celtic's qualification hopes only for Leverkusen to take the points – and seal first place in the group – when Robert Andrich and Moussa Diaby struck in the final eight minutes.
Must-see moment: Florian Wirtz's Cruyff turn and pinpoint chip to set up Diaby's winner.
Galatasaray 4-2 Marseille
25/11/2021, group stage Matchday 5
Three goals in their first four games did not suggest the Turkish team would be rampant here, but the home side sealed qualification in style. Alexandru Cicaldau and an own goal lit the touchpaper for Galatasaray, with Sofiane Feghouli and Ryan Babel calling on their experience to seal the victory.
Must-see moment: Kerem Aktürkoğlu's determination to win possession, then his burst forward to set up the hosts' third goal.
Sparta Praha 3-4 Lyon
21/10/2021, group stage Matchday 3
Lyon scored more goals and took more points than any side in the group stage and this performance showed why. Two down inside 20 minutes, the French outfit came roaring back with Karl Toko Ekambi starting and finishing a four-goal flurry, as well as setting up Lucas Paquetá to make it 3-2.
Must-see moment: Ekambi's outside-of-the-boot cross that teed up Paquetá to complete the turnaround.
Spartak Moskva 3-4 Leicester
20/10/2021, group stage Matchday 3
"Have I done enough to earn myself a place in the starting XI? I don't know," said Patson Daka after his four-goal blitz turned a 2-0 deficit into a remarkable triumph for the Premier League side. The Zambian striker's first three represented the fastest hat-trick in the history of the competition at nine minutes and 34 seconds, too.
Must-see moment: Daka's perfectly timed run to stay onside and complete his record-breaking treble.
Real Betis 4-3 Celtic
16/09/2021, group stage Matchday 1
Two down at home after 27 minutes in the opening group game was the stuff of nightmares for the Liga hopefuls, but their response was beyond their wildest dreams. Twenty-six minutes later, they were 4-2 ahead thanks to Juan Miranda, Juanmi's double and Borja Iglesias.
Must-see moment: Juanmi's calm chest control and precise finish off the post for Betis's fourth goal.