UEFA Europa League permutations: What British clubs need in final league phase fixtures with all games live on TNT Sports

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Aston Villa secured their place in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 with a win over Fenerbahce, but final positions within the top eight remain significant. A top-two finish brings the advantage of a home second leg throughout the competition, a prize still in play when Villa host Red Bull Salzburg. The outlook is far more precarious for Nottingham Forest and Celtic, while Rangers are out.

'Minute of madness' - Dyche frustrated after Forest slip to damaging defeat at Braga

Video credit: TNT Sports

The UEFA Europa League has proven every bit as exciting as this season's UEFA Champions League, with the new format leaving plenty at stake heading into the final round of league phase fixtures on Thursday.

All 18 games are available live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Aston Villa have already secured their place in the round of 16, Nottingham Forest are heading for the play-offs, Celtic could yet join them or face elimination, while Rangers are unable to progress and playing for pride alone.

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As many as 17 teams are still mathematically in contention for the remaining six top-eight places up for grabs, with Lyon having joined Villa in securing safe passage through to the last 16.

With something at stake in all 18 fixtures on the final evening, TNT Sports outlines the various permutations involving the British clubs.

Who is guaranteed to finish in the top eight?

There has been a serenity to Aston Villa's progress into the last 16.

Unai Emery's side secured a top-eight finish after Jadon Sancho's first goal for the club sealed a 1-0 victory over Fenerbahce in Turkey on Matchday 7.

Emery's brief touchline spat with Youri Tielemans following the midfielder's stoppage-time substitution has been as dramatic as it has become for a team tipped to return to Istanbul for the final on Wednesday, May 20.

Highlights: Emery, Tielemans CLASH mars dogged Villa win in Fenerbahce

Video credit: TNT Sports

The win - Villa's sixth in seven European matches this campaign - ended Fenerbahce's unbeaten home record. Yet their ambition remains greater still.

Similar to the Champions League format, a new rule introduced this season means that a higher finish in the league phase can significantly ease the knockout path, particularly in terms of home advantage.

Teams finishing in the top four will host the second legs of their last-16 and quarter-final ties, while the top two will also enjoy home advantage in the second leg of the semi-finals.

That means while Emery will look to rest and rotate his side, defeat at home to RB Salzburg could potentially see Villa drop as low as seventh.

'I don't like that' - Lescott and Williams react to Emery clashing with Tielemans

Video credit: TNT Sports

For clubs placed ninth to 24th, league position is equally important, as knockout ties are seeded according to final standings. In the play-off round, ninth will face 24th, 10th will play 23rd and so on.

As a result, teams narrowly missing out on the top eight are effectively rewarded with a tie against lower-ranked opposition who may have scraped through the league phase.

Lyon, who are the only other side guaranteed to finish inside the top eight, are above Villa on goal difference before hosting PAOK, who themselves can still book a last-16 spot with victory, should other results go their way.

Freiburg, Midtjylland, Braga, Roma, Ferencvaros and Real Betis are best-placed to join Lyon and Villa in skipping the knockout round play-offs, but as many as 17 of the 36 teams in action still harbour hopes of finishing in the top eight, with 19 clubs already guaranteed some form of knockout action.

Which clubs are in contention for the play-offs?

While the above sextet have their destiny in their own hands, a plethora of clubs positioned between ninth and 24th - separated by six points - head into the final round of fixtures with their precise future in the competition uncertain.

Panathinaikos, in 19th place, are one of four teams on 11 points who could still mathematically finish inside the top eight. They are joined by Nottingham Forest, following their disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Braga.

Highlights: Forest suffer shock loss in Portugal after Yates own goal, Anderson red

Video credit: TNT Sports

Sean Dyche's side host Ferencvaros at the City Ground knowing that the play-off round beckons, having surrendered a position of real promise earlier in the competition.

If Forest move onto 14 points with victory over the Hungarian champions, they must hope for the most unlikely of scenarios: Betis slip up at home to Feyenoord, Porto lose to already-eliminated Rangers, plus Genk, Red Star Belgrade, PAOK, Stuttgart, Celta Vigo and Bologna all fail to win.

Those teams who finish between ninth and 16th - where Forest currently sit - will be at home in the second leg of the knockout play-off round, so a win of any kind will be very welcome.

Teams that finish between 17th and 24th will be unseeded for the draw and thus face an away second leg, but seven of those eight current occupants will still be targeting home advantage by finishing between ninth and 16th.

Highlights: Hatate from hero to zero as 10-man Celtic hold off Bologna

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The one outlier, Celtic, currently sit in 24th place. The Scottish champions secured a precious point against Bologna, having held on with 10 men to earn a 2-2 draw that could be crucial to their hopes of reaching the knockout play-offs.

Martin O'Neill's side are on eight points ahead of their final game against already-eliminated Utrecht at Parkhead.

Victory would ensure Celtic qualify for the play-off round, but a draw would leave them vulnerable to being overtaken and therefore eliminated as they currently occupy the final play-off spot.

A defeat would leave them in huge danger of elimination, with it then only requiring one of the six teams ready to pounce beneath them to win their respective match.

Who is in danger of elimination?

Rangers (four points) have already been eliminated from this season's competition and cannot reach the knockout play-offs despite a 1-0 win over Ludogorets in their last outing.

Danny Rohl's side, who visit Porto, are one of six teams already knocked out, along with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Malmo, Utrecht, Nice and Sturm Graz.

There are five teams locked on six points - Feyenoord, Basel, RB Salzburg, Steaua Bucharest and Go Ahead Eagles - all of whom are most vulnerable to being eliminated.

Only victories in their final games will give them any chance of progress but they and Ludogrets, just outside the knockout play-off spots in 25th, will require assistance from elsewhere.

Highlights: Diomande the difference as Rangers earn first Europa League win

Video credit: TNT Sports

State of play

Confirmed in round of 16
Aston Villa, Lyon.

Confirmed in either round of 16 or knockout phase play-offs
Bologna, Braga, Celta Vigo, Crvena Zvezda, Fenerbahce, Ferencvaros, Freiburg, Genk, Midtjylland, Nottingham Forest, Panathinaikos, PAOK, Porto, Real Betis, Roma, Stuttgart, Viktoria Plzen.

Eliminated

Maccabi Tel Aviv, Malmo, Nice, Rangers, Sturm Graz, Utrecht.

Final round of league-phase fixtures

Thursday, January 29 - all games live on TNT Sports and discovery+ (20:00 GMT)

Aston Villa vs RB Salzburg
Basel vs Viktoria Plzen
Celtic vs Utrecht
FCSB vs Fenerbahce
Genk vs Malmo
Go Ahead Eagles vs Sporting Braga
Lille vs Freiburg
Ludogorets vs Nice
Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Bologna
Midtjylland vs Dinamo Zagreb
Nottingham Forest vs Ferencvaros
Lyon vs PAOK
Panathinaikos vs Roma
Porto vs Rangers
Real Betis vs Feyenoord
Red Star Belgrade vs Celta Vigo
Sturm Graz vs Brann
Stuttgart vs Young Boys

Opta have Aston Villa as the competition's favourites

Image credit: Opta

When is the draw for the knockout round play-offs?

The draw for the knockout round play-offs, involving clubs that finish ninth to 24th, will take place on January 30 at 12:00 UK time and will be broadcast live on TNT Sports.

How to watch UEL matchday 8 on TNT Sports and discovery+

You can watch all 18 games from the final League Phase matchday of the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League on TNT Sports and discovery+.

You can also keep track of all the night's events by watching The Goals Show Xtra on TNT Sports 1 from 19:45.

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