Aston Villa have successfully narrowed down their potential opponents for the Europa League last-16 stage following a dramatic and hard-fought victory against FC Salzburg at Villa Park on Thursday evening. The Midlands club will now face either PAOK, Lille, Celta Vigo, or Crvena Zvezda in the knockout phase of the competition.
Late Villa Comeback Secures Qualification
The evening began with Villa positioned in second place in the competition's league phase, which initially seemed to offer a favourable path through the tournament. However, the Austrian visitors Salzburg, fighting desperately for a slim chance of reaching the play-offs, had other intentions entirely. They shocked the home crowd by establishing a commanding 2-0 lead through goals from Karim Konate and Moussa Yeo.
Villa's situation was further complicated when star striker Ollie Watkins was forced off the pitch with a suspected hamstring issue, signalling to the bench before making his way directly down the tunnel. While this appeared to be a precautionary measure, it left Unai Emery's side facing a significant challenge.
Rogers, Mings, and Jimoh Inspire Dramatic Turnaround
The comeback was ignited by substitute Morgan Rogers, who expertly pulled a goal back with a smart left-footed strike, injecting new life into Villa's performance. Defender Tyrone Mings then continued the resurgence, powerfully heading home from Matty Cash's assist to equalise and effectively quash Salzburg's own qualification hopes.
The decisive moment arrived through 19-year-old Jamaldeen Jimoh, who scored his first senior goal for the club to complete the remarkable turnaround and secure all three points for Villa. This victory confirmed their place in the last-16, allowing them to bypass the play-off stage entirely.
Opponents Narrowed Down for Knockout Phase
With their qualification secured, Villa can now watch as their prospective opponents battle through the play-off stage. Teams finishing from ninth down to 24th in the league phase will enter this preliminary knockout round to determine who advances.
The specific pairings have been confirmed: 15th-seed Crvena Zvezda will face 16th-seed Celta Vigo, while 17th-seed PAOK takes on 18th-seed Lille. Aston Villa will be drawn against the winner of one of these pairings, with French club Lyon facing the victor of the other matchup.
This arrangement means Villa cannot potentially meet Lyon until later stages of the competition, specifically if both clubs progress to the final at Istanbul's Besiktas Park. Lyon retained their top position in the league phase despite also requiring a late winner against ten-man PAOK in their own dramatic encounter.
The official draw for the Europa League last-16 will take place on Friday, finally revealing which opponent Villa must overcome to continue their European journey. The club's dramatic comeback against Salzburg has set the stage for what promises to be an exciting knockout phase in European football.
