Europa League returns this week for the knockout round play-offs, with the first legs taking place on Thursday February 17; Rangers travel to Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona host Napoli and 2019/20 champions Sevilla take on Dinamo Zagreb; Second legs will take place on Thursday February 24
Monday 14 February 2022 10:12, UK
As the 2021/22 Europa League returns for the knockout round play-offs, we bring you the state of play, upcoming fixtures and the schedule for the remainder of the tournament.
What is a play-off round and what’s changed about the Europa League?
Starting from this season, the Europa League group stage has been truncated to eight groups. Instead of a round of 32, the eight second-placed teams will meet one of the eight sides finishing third in their respective Champions League groups in a two-legged play-off round in February.
Those eight teams will join the eight Europa League group winners in the last 16 in March.
The teams who finish third in their Europa League groups will also see their European seasons extended for the first time, with those eight sides facing one of the eight sides who finished second in the Europa Conference League group stage for a place in the last 16 of that competition.
Knockout round play-offs
Thursday February 17
Papers: Tielemans looking likely to leave Leicester
F1’s crunch meeting over Abu Dhabi fallout: What’s going on?
Transfer Centre LIVE! Ronaldo out, Kane in at Man Utd?
Rams win Super Bowl as late comeback stuns Bengals
Jealousy? Why Khan and Brook can’t stand each other
PL hits & misses: Fab Fabinho | Kamikaze Spurs | Magpies momentum
Klopp hails Liverpool for dodging Burnley ‘banana skin’
Conte: CL qualification impossible on current form
Russian figure skater Valieva cleared to compete at Winter Olympics
Thursday February 24
Round of 16
First legs scheduled to take place on Thursday March 10; Second legs on Thursday March 17.
Quarter-finals
First legs scheduled to take place on Thursday April 7; Second legs on Thursday April 14.
Semi-finals
First legs scheduled to take place on Thursday April 28; Second legs on Thursday May 5.
Final
Scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 18 at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, Sevilla.