UEFA Europa League Group Stage Wraps Up: Results and Next Steps

The UEFA Europa League group stage has concluded after the 8th and final matchday. Lazio topped the standings and qualified directly for the next round along with seven other clubs.

Marco Baroni’s Lazio finished as group stage leaders with an impressive 17 goals scored and only 5 conceded. The top eight teams advance straight to the Round of 16, while those finishing 9th through 24th will compete in a playoff round. Teams ranked 9-16 will face those ranked 17-24, with the higher-ranked teams hosting the second leg. The eight playoff winners will join the top eight in the Round of 16.

Spanish Teams

Both Spanish clubs won their final group matches to progress. Athletic Club defeated Viktoria Plzen 3-1 to finish second and qualify directly for the Round of 16. Real Sociedad beat PAOK 2-0 to finish 13th overall, meaning they’ll need to navigate the playoff round. Their potential opponents are Midtjylland or AZ Alkmaar.

Final Standings

Lazio topped the table with 19 points, edging out Athletic Club on goal difference. Qarabag finished last with just 3 points. The top 8 advancing directly to the Round of 16 are: Lazio, Athletic Club, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Olympique Lyon, Olympiacos, and Rangers. Real Sociedad finished 13th overall.

Next Matches

The playoff round is scheduled for February 13 (first leg) and February 20 (second leg).