UEFA Conference League football returns with the fifth edition of the knockout round playoffs. The sides that finished between ninth and 24th in the league phase will now do battle, with eight places in the last 16 on the line. Several first-timers feature in this round, adding further intrigue to what has already been a fascinating season of football.
Here is The Deck’s preview of the knockout playoffs, along with our predictions as to who will progress to the round of 16.
UEFA Conference League: Knockout Round Playoffs
AZ, Lech Look for Another Deep Run
Looking to pull off another improbable result, KuPS Kuopio faces Lech Poznań in their tie.
Not only is this a maiden knockout round tie for KuPS, but it is also a first for Finnish football. They proved hard to beat during the league phase, as they had four draws and a win. Their only reverse, however, came at the hands of Jagiellonia Białystok. During the qualifying rounds last summer, the Veikkausliiga champions kept three clean sheets at home, something that could come in handy here.
Lech made the quarterfinals of this competition three years ago, falling to Fiorentina. QF three years ago, losing to Fiorentina. Their success this season has come at home, where they won two of there during the league phase. This is not Lech’s first time meeting a Finnish team in Europe, as they knocked off Honka in the 2013/14 Europa League second qualifying round.
Prediction: Lech Poznań
Armenia’s first team to play in Europe at this point of the season, Noah, is up for a huge challenge against AZ Alkmaar.
Noah has a very strong home record in Europe, winning 10 of their 15 games all-time (10-2-3). That may be their saving grace in what is a lopsided tie. They have never won an away match in the Conference League proper, losing four of six. This is their first test against a side from the Netherlands.
As for AZ, they are no strangers to the UECL knockout stage, featuring at this point for the third time. Their best run came in 2022/23, when they made the semifinals before losing to eventual winners West Ham. Since the beginning of last season, they have not been defeated at home. In fact, the Alkmaar-based club has conceded just once in their last seven at AFAS Stadion.
Prediction: AZ Alkmaar
A huge opportunity awaits for both Sigma Olomouc and Lausanne-Sport in one of three ties to feature two knockout round debutants.
Sigma will be very much relieved to be involved in this match after a chaotic end to the league phase. A goal in the 105th minute in Greece ultimately sent them through by the smallest of margins. They do have a European quarterfinal under their belt, occurring in the 1991/92 UEFA Cup. Their games tend to involve goals, as the Czech side has not kept a clean sheet in their last 11 continental clashes.
Fifteen years on from participating in the Europa League group phase, Lausanne has managed to do one better. The Swiss side won their opening two games in the UECL, as well as their last one, to make it to the knockout rounds for the first time. Like Sigma, last-minute drama affected them, as they narrowly lost out in qualifying directly for the last 16.
Prediction: Sigma Olomouc
It will be another difficult challenge for Zrinjski Mostar, who will meet an English side for the second time through Crystal Palace.
For the second year running, a Bosnian side will feature in the Conference League’s knockout playoffs. Zrinjski won all of their league phase points at home, failing to even score on the road. That could end up being problematic for them in what is already a tall order. With that said, they did hold Aston Villa to a draw at home in the group stage two years ago.
Few would have expected Palace to end up outside of the top eight. Yet, the Eagles will have to get to the round of 16 the hard way. They have been solid on their travels, winning three of four. On the other hand, they had only one home win during the league phase. Only one of their four wins in Europe so far came when they conceded a goal.
Prediction: Crystal Palace
All-Balkan Clash Adds Further Intrigue
Our choice for the tie of the round comes in the form of an all-Balkan affair, as Drita takes on Celje.
Like some of the other teams partaking in this round Drita is the first from their national association to be playing knockout football in Europe. They will want to fix their away form, as five of their six continental defeats this term saw them concede multiple times. The side from Gjilan has played in a UEFA club competition in each of the last seven seasons.
Celje was the underdog story of last campaign’s knockout round, having reached the quarterfinals before bowing out. The Slovenians stunned APOEL at this stage last February before taking care of Lugano in the last 16. Interestingly, they are winless in their last three matches after starting the league phase with three victories on the bounce.
Prediction: Celje
After enjoying a debut appearance in a UEFA club competition proper in 2024/25, Jagiellonia Białystok is looking for more success as they battle the tournament’s highest ranked team Fiorentina.
Jagiellonia’s run in the knockout round last term saw them eliminate TSC and Cercle Brugge before their quarterfinal exit at the hands of Real Betis. In the tie versus TSC, they won both legs 3-1. Scoring at home is something the Poles have done a great job of, as they have managed to do so in their last nine continental games.
No team has more wins in the Conference League all-time than Fiorentina’s 29, qualifiers included. However, they have had their struggles on the road of late, losing five of their last nine (3-1-5). Across their three other appearances in the competition, La Viola have reached at least the semifinals on each occasion, losing back-to-back finals.
Prediction: Fiorentina
A glorious opportunity awaits both Omonoia Nicosia and Rijeka as the sides from Cyprus and Croatia do battle.
Omonoia also featured at this stage in 2024/25, though they were defeated by fellow Cypriot club Paphos. This tie might come down to whether they can maintain a clean sheet, as all seven victories this term saw them do so. When they concede, they have yet to win, going 0-2-3. They have a 1-1-2 record across their previous four games against Croatian sides.
Rijeka will be invoked in a KO tie for the very first time. They were hard to break down during the league phase, conceding just twice – both times coming on the road. However, scoring was a problem for last season’s Croatian champions. Of the 24 sides still left in the competition, only Drita and Shkëndija (both four) have scored less than Rijeka’s five times.
Prediction: Omonoia Nicosia
We end with the tie begin Shkëndija and Samsunspor in what is a first knockout round tie for both teams.
Shkëndija is the first team from North Macedonia to make the knockout round in Europe. Their away form during the league phase does spell trouble though, as they did not score in any of the three games, losing all of them. While they are regulars in Europe, this tie will be their 15th and 16th matches of the season, doubling their second most.
Samsunspor has lost their last two matches after starting the league phase with an unexpected 3-0-0 record. They are the fifth different Turkish side to make it this far into the UECL, and the fourth to do so via the group phase. They have conceded an average of one goal a game across all eight of their European matches this term, including their UEL playoff round reverse to Panathinaikos.
Prediction: Samsunspor
