Europa League Round of 16 Draw: Lyon face Celta Vigo, Aston Villa to clash with Lille - Full Draw

The UEFA Europa League round of 16 draw has set up several intriguing clashes, following Friday’s ceremony in Nyon. Top-seeded Olympique Lyonnais will face Spanish side Celta Vigo, while second seeds Aston Villa have been drawn against French side Lille OSC.

Lille secured their place in the round of 16 after a dramatic extra-time win over Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade on Thursday, with Nathan Ngoy scoring the decisive goal. They now face a challenging tie against Aston Villa, who are aiming to progress to the quarter-finals.

Belgian side Genk also required extra time to overcome Dinamo Zagreb in a thrilling six-goal second leg. Genk will now play German club SC Freiburg in the next round. Meanwhile, Italian clubs Bologna FC and AS Roma will contest an all-Italian tie.

Third-seeded FC Midtjylland face English side Nottingham Forest after narrowly advancing past Fenerbahçe SK, with Callum Hudson-Odoi providing the decisive contribution at the City Ground. Spanish side Real Betis will meet Greek outfit Panathinaikos, who advanced on penalties despite being reduced to 10 men late in extra time.

Hungarian side Ferencváros TC have been drawn against Portuguese club SC Braga for a challenging trip to the Iberian Peninsula.

The Europa League final is scheduled to take place in Istanbul on May 20, 2026.

The first legs are set for March 12, with return fixtures a week later. The team listed first will host the opening leg. Note that Braga’s home tie has been moved to Wednesday, March 18, due to a scheduling conflict with Porto.

Ferencváros vs Braga

Panathinaikos vs Real Betis

Genk vs Freiburg

Celta Vigo vs Lyon

Stuttgart vs Porto

Nottingham Forest vs FC Midtjylland

Bologna vs Roma

Lille vs Aston Villa

UEFA will release exact kick-off times and detailed scheduling later this week.