Europa League Group Stage Concludes: Lazio Leads, Roma Enters Playoffs

Lazio has claimed the top spot in the inaugural Europa League group stage, securing direct advancement to the Round of 16. Meanwhile, Roma will face either FC Porto or Ferencvaros in the playoff round, with a potential Rome derby awaiting in the next stage.

This marks the first season under the new Europa League format, where all teams play 8 group matches and the top 8 progress directly to the Round of 16. Lazio had already secured their position before the final matchday and managed to retain first place despite a 1-0 loss to SC Braga, thanks to a superior goal difference over Athletic Bilbao.

Roma defeated Eintracht Frankfurt 2-0 to finish 15th overall, earning a seeded position for the playoff draw on Friday. Should they advance past the playoffs, Roma could potentially face city rivals Lazio in the Round of 16, as Lazio holds one of the top seeds along with Athletic Bilbao.

Europa League Group Stage Final Standings

Round of 16 Qualifiers: Lazio, Athletic Club, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos, Rangers

Playoff Round Participants: Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, FCSB, Ajax, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Roma, Viktoria Plzen, Ferencvaros, Porto, AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Union Saint-Gilloise, PAOK, FC Twente, Fenerbahce

Eliminated Teams: Braga, Elfsborg, Hoffenheim, Besiktas, Maccabi Tel-Aviv, Slavia Prague, Malmoe, RFS, Ludogorets, Dynamo Kyiv, Nice, Qarabag

The Europa League knockout stages are set to provide exciting matchups, with Italian clubs Lazio and Roma both still in contention for European glory.