UEFA Europa League Predictions: Matchday 3/12

The Champions League has stolen much of the attention during a week of continental knockout soccer, but Thursday night offers the Europa League an opportunity to stand proud.

Europe’s secondary competition has also reached the last 16 phase and there are eight tantalizing first legs to be staged this week, all ties taking place in different countries across the continent.

Former European champions Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest and Porto are among those taking to the field, but can they channel their rich respective histories to put one foot in the quarterfinals?

Here’s how Sports Illustrated predicts the Europa League action will play out.

Bologna vs. Roma

Roma players celebrate — Roma face familiar opponents. | Aggelos NAKKAS/AFP/Getty Images.

Kick-off time: 5:45 p.m. GMT / 1:45 p.m. ET / 10:45 a.m. PT

An all-Italian affair is the only Europa League last 16 tie in which two sides from the same nation trade blows, Bologna welcoming Roma to the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara for Thursday’s first leg.

The sides haven’t locked horns since August when Roma ran out narrow victors in Serie A but the meeting of two fine Italian coaches—Bologna’s Vincenzo Italiano and Roma’s Gian Piero Gapserini—promises to deliver an enticing tactical battle.

Roma will be the favorites to progress across the two legs, sitting three places and 12 points above their adversaries in Serie A, but Bologna are in strong form heading into the first leg. Before last weekend’s defeat to Hellas Verona, they had won five on the spin—four of which finished 1–0.

Roma’s recent record on the road is underwhelming, as evidenced by Sunday’s defeat at Genoa, but Gasperini is a Europa League winner during his Atalanta days and boasts the superior squad for the upcoming clashes.

Prediction: Bologna 1–1 Roma

Lille vs. Aston Villa

Morgan Rogers celebrates. — Aston Villa need some Morgan Rogers magic. | Getty/James Gill

Kick-off time: 5:45 p.m. GMT / 1:45 p.m. ET / 10:45 a.m. PT

Aston Villa’s alarming Premier League decline has been largely attributed to the absence of influential midfield trio Boubacar Kamara, Youri Tielemans and John McGinn, with Unai Emery needing to find alternative solutions in the center of the pitch to stop the rot.

Villa have failed to win any of their past four matches and are in danger of missing out on Champions League qualification despite a presence in the Premier League top four for much of the season. Of course, another route into Europe’s most prestigious competition is winning the Europa League.

As the season progresses, Europa League master Emery might begin to prioritize Thursday nights but overcoming an awkward Lille side will prove a stern test. Ligue 1’s sixth-best side as things stand has already beaten the likes of Roma, Monaco and Marseille this term.

The Villans remain strong favorites to advance, and for good reason, especially with Lille’s iffy form since the turn of the year. But, as proven by the 2023–24 Conference League meetings between the sides, it will be hard fought all the way.

Prediction: Lille 0–1 Aston Villa

Celta Vigo vs. Lyon

Endrick — Lyon are among the tournament favorites. | Sathire Kelpa/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT

Lyon were terrific during the league phase as they topped the standings, winning seven of their eight matches and easing into the last 16. Paulo Fonseca is doing a stellar job with the French team and their 13-match winning run between December and February highlights how threating they can be.

The positive news for Celta Vigo is Lyon’s more recent form. Since that winning streak ended, Fonseca’s men are four matches without victory and their last-gasp defeat to rivals Marseille two weekends ago was particularly damaging to their bid for Champions League qualification.

Celta will be seeking to take advantage of any uncertainty in the Lyon ranks and pick themselves up after late heartbreak of their own last Friday. Federico Valverde’s stoppage-time winner saw them slump to defeat against Real Madrid, marking the end of their five-match unbeaten streak and only a third loss of the calendar year.

The Galicians cannot be underestimated despite their lack of European pedigree and Claudio Giráldez will be determined to take a positive result to the Groupama Stadium next week.

Prediction: Celta Vigo 2–2 Lyon

Nottingham Forest vs. Midtjylland

Vítor Pereira leads Forest’s European charge. | James Holyoak/MB Media/Getty Images

Kick-off time: 8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT

Nottingham Forest have bitter memories of their most recent meeting with Midtjylland. The sides came up against one another in the league phase at the City Ground, the Premier League outfit then under Ange Postecoglou—their second of four managers this season.

Forest slumped to a bruising 3–2 defeat at home to their Danish visitors but they were not the only team Midtjylland surprised on their way to a third-place finish at that stage of the competition. The Forest triumph was one of six victories for Mike Tullberg’s men.

Midtjylland could well surprise Forest again, with Vítor Pereira’s side prioritizing Premier League survival over European success, although there is a world in which both are achievable.

Performances and results have improved under the Portuguese coach and the battles with Midtjylland can mark Forest’s progress under their new coach.

Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2–1 Midtjylland

Matchday 3/12 Predictions

Kick-Off Time	Fixture	Prediction
5:45 p.m. GMT / 1:45 p.m. ET	Bologna vs. Roma	1–1
5:45 p.m. GMT / 1:45 p.m. ET	Lille vs. Aston Villa	0–1
5:45 p.m. GMT / 1:45 p.m. ET	Panathinaikos vs. Real Betis	1–3
5:45 p.m. GMT / 1:45 p.m. ET	VfB Stuttgart vs. Porto	3–2
8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET	Celta Vigo vs. Lyon	2–2
8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET	Ferencváros vs. Braga	0–1
8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET	Genk vs. Freiburg	1–2
8 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. ET	Nott’m Forest vs. Midtjylland	2–1