UEFA Europa League: A Key Stat from Each First-Leg Match of the Round of 16

The round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League featured a flurry of late goals during Thursday’s matches. Following the first-leg encounters, here’s a notable statistic from each of the eight games.

13 – The only draw in Thursday’s Europa League action came from Real Sociedad and Manchester United, who played to a 1-1 stalemate in San Sebastian. This result sets the stage for an exciting return fixture at Old Trafford. The match was relatively balanced, with both teams registering 13 shots over the course of the 90 minutes. This draw marks United’s fourth in the competition, tying them with Roma for the most draws so far.

16 – Rangers showcased another outstanding away performance, clinching a 3-1 victory against Fenerbahce in Turkiye. The Scots, having recently parted ways with Philippe Clement, are on the verge of making their second quarter-final appearance in four seasons. This puts José Mourinho’s side at a significant risk of elimination. Following a 2-0 defeat against Athletic Club in the league phase, Fenerbahce has now suffered multiple losses at home in European competitions for the first time in 16 years.

12 – Olympique Lyon find themselves in a strong position to advance after securing a 3-1 victory over FCSB in Romania. The French outfit has reached at least the quarter-finals in three of their last four Europa League campaigns, putting the tie firmly in their control. Lyon have also been formidable on their travels, remaining unbeaten in their last 12 away matches in the tournament. Their last defeat on the road came in the 2018/19 season, losing 1-0 to Atalanta on matchday six.

18 – AZ Alkmaar is inching closer to their first UEL quarter-final in 11 years, following a narrow 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at home. An own goal just 18 minutes in made all the difference for the Dutch side. Interestingly, it has been 18 years since AZ last defeated a Premier League team in European competition, which occurred at this same stage of the UEFA Cup, besting Everton 2-0. This may serve as a positive omen for their upcoming fixtures, as they progressed in that tie on away goals.

4 – Lazio, despite being reduced to nine men, managed a dramatic late goal from Gustav Isaksen to claim a 2-1 away victory against Viktoria Plzen. This result positions the Italians favourably for the return leg. Plzen, meanwhile, has failed to win the first leg in their last four UEFA knockout round matches and have not found the back of the net in two of these encounters.

10 – Perhaps the standout performance of the night arose from Bodo/Glimt, who secured a commanding 3-0 victory over Olympiakos Piraeus on home soil. The Norwegians are approaching their second-ever European quarter-final and their first in the UEL. Intriguingly, 10 of Olympiakos’ last 11 European fixtures have seen at least one of the teams go without scoring, with the lone exception being their 1-1 draw with Rangers during matchday four.

6 – Similarly to their city rivals, AS Roma clinched a late goal, sealing a 2-1 triumph over Athletic Club. The Giallorossi have reached the UEL semi-finals in three of the last four seasons and will be hoping for a return to the venue hosting the final—not just for one visit this season. Bilbao, in contrast, is now winless in their last six visits to Italy, having only managed one win across 12 trips, with that victory coming against Sampdoria in the first round of the 1996/97 UEFA Cup.

5 – Eintracht Frankfurt came from behind to secure a crucial 2-1 away win against Ajax in the Netherlands. The winners of the 2021/22 campaign are aiming for back-to-back quarter-final appearances in the Europa League, which would be a first in 30 years. Ajax, however, are struggling, having lost five times in the UEL proper—the most of any team remaining in the competition. This also marks the first occasion in which the Dutch club has lost four home matches in a single season, including qualifiers.