A place in the Round of 16 of the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League will be on offer when the second leg matches for the Playoffs are completed on Thursday 20 February 2025, with the focus falling on the clash between Roma and Porto.
Porto and Roma played out a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their tie at the Dragao Stadium last week, with the Italian side claiming the lead via Mehmet Zeki Celik, only for the Portuguese hosts to hit back through Francisco Moura.
Roma finished the game with 10 men after Bryan Cristante was sent off.
The return game at the Olimpico Stadium in Rome should see the Giallorossi as favourites, though defender Zeki Celik insists they need to be wary of the Dragons’ potency in transition: “Porto are a great team who play well, but in the second leg we have to be more aggressive and careful with quick attacks and counter-attacks because that’s how we conceded the goal.”
Roma coach, Claudio Ranieri, believes his side should already be ahead: “The tie is open, each team has a 50 percent chance of going through. Porto are a good team but I go away not feeling satisfied as Roma were better and deserved to win.”
Elsewhere on Thursday evening, Galatasaray have the tough task of trying to overturn a 4-1 deficit at home to AZ Alkmaar; FCSB hold a 2-1 lead over visitors PAOK; Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce take a 3-0 lead to Belgium for their clash with Anderlecht; Real Sociedad lead 2-1 over Midtjylland ahead of the second leg in the Basque region of Spain; and Dutch giants Ajax hold a 2-0 lead over Union Saint-Gilloise ahead of their match in Amsterdam.
“I think all the team played very well. It’s still not over. We need to keep continuing like this. The result is good but we have one more 90 minutes away from home,” said Fenerbahce defender Milan Skriniar.
Ajax coach Francesco Farioli says: “It’s not over yet; we still have another match to play. That said, we can’t let this slip now.In the first half, we could have been a bit more efficient. But we started well, and I’m pleased with the result.”
The eight aggregate winners will advance to the Round off 16 to face ties against the top eight teams from the League Phase: Athletic Bilbao, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lazio, Lyon, Manchester United, Olympiacos, Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur.
Watch the matches on DStv, GOtv, Showmax or DStv Stream.
Broadcast details
Thursday 20 February
- 19:45: Roma v Porto – LIVE on SuperSport Premier League, SuperSport Maximo 1 and SuperSport Maximo 360
- 19:45: Galatasaray v AZ Alkmaar – LIVE on SuperSport La Liga and SuperSport Maximo 3
- 19:45: FCSB v PAOK – LIVE on SuperSport Football and SuperSport Maximo 2
- 22:00: Ajax v Union Saint-Gilloise – LIVE on SuperSport Premier League and SuperSport Maximo 2
- 22:00: Real Sociedad v Midtjylland – LIVE on SuperSport La Liga, SuperSport Maximo 1 and SuperSport Maximo 3
- 22:00: Anderlecht v Fenerbahce – LIVE on SuperSport Football and SuperSport Maximo 360