UEFA Europa League: A Standout Stat from Each Second Leg of the Round of 16 Matches

The UEFA Europa League has reached the quarter-finals after an exhilarating Thursday of matches last week. With just eight teams remaining, here’s an interesting statistic from each of the return leg matches in the round of 16.

18 – Bodo/Glimt faced a 2-1 defeat against Olympiakos but progressed with an aggregate score of 4-2. This marks only their second season in the Europa League proper, yet the Northern Norwegian club has made it to the final eight. Their advancement means Norway becomes the 18th different nation to feature in the quarter-finals of the Europa League (UEL era only).

13 – Lazio had to work hard once again, securing a 1-1 draw at home with Viktoria Plzen. Overall, the Serie A side moved on with a 3-2 aggregate victory. Lazio remain unbeaten in their last 13 home matches in the UEL, with their last defeat coming in the 2019/20 group stage against Celtic.

7 – Eintracht Frankfurt dispatched Ajax in style, clinching a dominant 4-1 victory at home. Over the two legs, the 2021/22 champions won 6-2. This achievement sees Die Adler reach the UEL quarter-finals for the third time. Ajax, however, faced their seventh defeat in this competition, making it three losses in a row, which is their highest tally in a European season.

5 – Athletic Club managed to overturn their first-leg deficit by defeating AS Roma 3-1 at home, advancing 4-3 on aggregate. This victory brings the Basque club closer to a potential final on home soil. Meanwhile, it signifies that Roma will not participate in a European semi-final for the first time in five years. Coincidentally, they were eliminated at this same stage in the last season they missed out, against Sevilla – who went on to lift the trophy that year, providing a positive omen for Athletic.

12 – Tottenham Hotspur have returned to the UEL quarter-finals. The North London side recovered from a first-leg defeat of 3-1 to AZ Alkmaar to clinch a 3-2 aggregate victory. This marks the first time in 12 years Spurs have made it this far in the tournament, and astonishingly, it’s only the second time they’ve reached this stage in eight attempts in the UEL’s current format, having never gone further.

3 – Rangers triumphed over Fenerbahce in an exhilarating penalty shootout after the tie concluded at 3-3 on aggregate. They secured a 3-2 win in the shootout to advance. Despite progressing, the Gers suffered only their third defeat to a Turkish team in 11 encounters and faced their first defeat at home in this series, having previously boasted a record of 3-2-0 with just one goal conceded.

10 – Manchester United took full advantage of their penalty kicks as they advanced past Real Sociedad. A substantial 4-1 win at Old Trafford resulted in a 5-2 aggregate victory for the Red Devils. Of the 24 remaining clubs in UEFA competitions, United are the sole team still unbeaten. They have reached 10 European matches this season with a record of 6 wins, 4 draws, and no losses.

4 – Olympique Lyon scored the highest number of goals in the round of 16, finishing off FCSB with a 4-0 win on the night and a commanding 7-1 on aggregate. Consequently, the Ligue 1 outfit has reached their fourth UEL quarter-final, more than any other French club. These four appearances have come within their last five stints in the Europa League proper, although they have only progressed beyond this stage once, back in the 2016/17 season.