Europa League Chaos Night Summary
Several major clubs confirmed their place in the UEFA Europa League knockout stages after crucial victories on Matchday 6. Aston Villa, Ferencváros, Freiburg, Lyon, Midtjylland and Real Betis all completed the league phase with results that guarantee their progression, while other teams saw late drama shape their final standings.
Fenerbahçe dominate in Norway
Fenerbahçe delivered one of the most impressive performances of the round as they swept aside Brann 4–0. Kerem Aktürkoğlu opened the scoring with a delicate chip before Brann’s situation worsened when Eivind Helland was sent off for pulling down Youssef En-Nesyri. With a man advantage, Talisca took full control of the match. He struck two powerful volleys and later completed his hat-trick with a header, sealing a convincing win that demonstrated Fenerbahçe’s growing strength in the competition.
Ferencváros complete comeback to beat Rangers
Ferencváros extended their unbeaten run in the Europa League with a 2–1 comeback victory over Rangers in Budapest. The Scottish side took the lead with a stunning scissor-kick from Bojan Miovski, but the hosts responded at a crucial moment. Bence Ötvös equalised just before half-time after a fluid attacking move. Barnabás Varga then sealed the win in the second half by heading in Callum O’Dowda’s cross, confirming Ferencváros’ place in the knockout phase.
Nottingham Forest strike late to win in Utrecht
Nottingham Forest earned their first away victory of the campaign with a dramatic 2–1 win in the Netherlands. Arnaud Kalimuendo put Forest ahead soon after the break and later struck the post as his side pushed for more. Utrecht equalised through Mike van der Hoorn with just under twenty minutes left, giving the home fans hope. That hope quickly faded when substitute Igor Jesus reacted first in the closing stages, scoring the decisive goal after Vasilis Barkas failed to hold Dan Ndoye’s header.
Roma cruise past Celtic to maintain perfect away record
Roma continued their strong form on the road with a commanding 3–0 win at Celtic Park. The Italian side took the lead early after Liam Scales turned Matias Soulé’s corner into his own net. Evan Ferguson then added two more goals before half-time, first finishing from Zeki Çelik’s cross and then converting from a pass by Soulé. Celtic missed a chance to respond when Arne Engels struck the post with a penalty and later relied on Kasper Schmeichel to prevent further damage as he saved well from Leon Bailey.
Strong finishes from Lyon, Aston Villa and Midtjylland
Lyon, Aston Villa and Midtjylland all closed out the league phase with important victories. Their results lifted them to 15 points, placing them among the top-performing teams of the round. Each club is now certain of at least a knockout play-off tie, with the possibility of an even stronger seeding depending on final standings.
Unbeaten sides push forward but Plzeň left waiting
Ferencváros, Freiburg and Real Betis also completed the group stage unbeaten with four wins and two draws each. All three teams comfortably secured their places in the knockout phase. Viktoria Plzeň, however, face a more uncertain fate. Despite also finishing unbeaten, their third straight 0–0 draw — this time away at Panathinaikos — leaves them waiting to discover whether ten points will be enough.
Late drama across Europe
The most dramatic match of the night came in Bucharest, where FCSB overturned a 3–1 deficit to beat Feyenoord 4–3. Florin Tănase scored the decisive goal deep into stoppage time, completing a remarkable comeback in front of a roaring home crowd. Elsewhere, PAOK earned a late equaliser in a 3–3 draw at Ludogorets, adding another twist to an already unpredictable evening across the continent.
A competitive knockout phase ahead
With six teams securing qualification on Matchday 6 and several others still in contention, the Europa League knockout phase is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent seasons. Unbeaten runs, late heroics and tightly contested matches have set the tone for what promises to be an exciting continuation of the tournament.
