It’s fair to say that with three matches remaining in the Europa League group phase, it’s all to play for.
The top eight sides have the bonus of automatic qualification to the last 16 (thus avoiding a play-off tie) and, given the top 20 teams are only separated by four points, it could go any way at this juncture.
Lyon, who were so famously eliminated at the quarter-final stage last season, are the new leaders, one of three teams on 12 points and topping the table on goal difference.
That is no surprise after they travelled to Israel and hit Maccabi Tel Aviv for six without reply. Corentin Tolisso was the hero with a hat-trick before being substituted before the hour mark.
In terms of my two favourites for the tournament, both edged to home wins.
After his match-winning showing at Leeds at the weekend, Morgan Rogers again played a starring role for Aston Villa at home to Young Boys of Switzerland, setting up the second of Donyell Malen’s brace for what proved to be the winner. The Dutchman powered home a header from a Youri Tielemans cross before producing a clinical finish after being found by Rogers just before the break.
Although Young Boys pulled one back in stoppage time to make the contest seem closer than it was, Villa were always in control and, in Malen, have a player who has 12 goals in 19 Europa League appearances – eight for PSV, three with Villa and one for Borussia Dortmund.
As for Rogers, the former Manchester City youth product is developing into a top-quality number 10 who has the potential to become a regular for club and, possibly, country.
My other tip for the tournament, AS Roma, needed to get points on the board after losing three of their first four games and they did just that with a 2-1 home win over previous group leaders Midtjylland.
A goal after seven minutes and another seven minutes from time ensured the club from the Italian capital were victorious.
Neil El Aynaoui and Stephan El Shaarawy were the goal-getters to earn Gian Piero Gasperini’s men victory and end the Danish club’s 100-per cent record in the group stages.
One former famous goal-getter was on managerial duty in Holland and, in the build-up to the tie, it felt cruel to use the meeting between Feyenoord and Celtic to reflect upon illustrious times.
Going into the game, the Dutch side were 29th in the 36-team table with Celtic 27th. The Glasgow giants have been experiencing a torrid time of late and are a shadow of their former selves.
On saying that, I still expect them to retain the Scottish Premiership this season and, with Martin O’Neill back at the interim helm, they have a seasoned campaigner who will settle the ship. They now also have a European win to savour.
Sure, neither they nor their hosts are anywhere near the level they were when they contested the European Cup Final more than half a century ago. But on a night which evoked memories for many, this was a real fillip.
Ayase Ueda gave the Dutch outfit an early lead with a calm low finish, but goals from Yang Hyun-jun and Reo Hatate turned the game on its head before halftime. Benjamin Nygren thumped home a third in the closing stages to calm any nerves in the jubilant away end.
It was a welcome return to winning ways on the continent for the Scottish champions, who were comprehensively outplayed by Midtjylland in their previous Europa League outing.
For context, this was Celtic’s first win in Holland since 2001, when O’Neill was first in charge, when they knocked Ajax out of Champions League qualifying.
If the SBOTOP Europa League 2025 betting odds don’t fancy either side to progress too far, what price Nottingham Forest who, in the other European Cup final rematch of the evening, triumphed against Malmo (just as they did in 1979).
Fresh from their comprehensive 3-0 league victory at Liverpool, Sean Dyche’s men produced another fine display to run out winners by the same scoreline.
Captain Ryan Yates picked a timely moment to notch his first of the season with a clinical finish after 28 minutes and Forest had daylight a minute before the break when Arnaud Kalimuendo scored his first for the club after Yates had been denied a second.
Yates was at it again just before the hour when his shot deflected into the path of Nikola Milenkovic who made no mistake.
Game over and some Europa League 2025 highlights for the hosts to enjoy against the 24-time Swedish champions.
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