Europa League round of 16: Games to watch out for

By Alexander Cruickshanks

The road to Dublin starts here (Image: Getty Images)

The draw has been made for the last 16 of Europe’s second-best competition. It is the home of the unexpected and the remarkable, and that’s the reason why it’s one of Europe’s most exciting competitions. It promises to continue to deliver as there are some exciting matches to come in the round of 16.

Sporting CP vs Atalanta BC

This game is one of the most attractive games in the knockouts. A fairly evenly balanced match between two teams who are flying right now. Both are undefeated in their last five, with Atalanta winning all of them and Sporting drawing just one game to BSC Young Boys in the previous round. Concerning how both teams got to this stage of the competition, there is a story in their journeys.

They were in the same group together with Atalanta claiming victory in Lisbon winning 2-1, and a 1-1 draw in Bergamo saw them top the group. These tight affairs were group deciders and Sporting will want to get their revenge.

This match promises goals, especially where Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres is involved. He’s one of the most in-form strikers in Europe this season, making 32 appearances in all competitions, scoring 29 and assisting 11 with five of those goals coming in the Europa League. Goals are guaranteed in this knockout tie.

Gyökeres has had a fine first season in Portugal (Image: Getty Images)

Roma vs Brighton

Two teams in similar form who can put on explosive displays. Brighton have won two, lost two, and drawn one in their last five games. There is one guarantee when Brighton are concerned: Goals. In their last five, they have scored 11 and conceded eight. This was also the case in the group stages of the competition, where they scored 10 and conceded five. However, Brighton are currently without two of their star players, Japanese winger, Karou Mitoma, and Brazilian sensation, Joao Pedro. These two players aren’t set to return until the latter half of March, and this will give Roma a confidence boost coming into this tie.

The absence of Mitoma and Pedro could perhaps makes Roma favourites (Image: Getty Images)

Roma finished second in their group to Slavia Prague with 13 points. They scored 12 and conceded just four. However, this form might not matter as since then there has been a huge change in Rome. ‘The special one,’ Jose Mourinho, was sacked from his position at Roma and Giallorossi legend Daniele De Rossi was appointed the new manager. Since his appointment, they have lost once and that was to Inter Milan, the run-away favourites for the title in Italy. They did defeat Feyenoord in the previous round it was on penalties. Brighton should be a good test for De Rossi and a chance to prove himself as a top manager.

Benfica vs Rangers

This might be one of the most evenly-matched games in the whole of the last 16. Both teams sit on top of their respective divisions and both teams have history against one another in recent years. During the COVID season, Rangers and Benfica were drawn against each other in the Europa League group stages. In Portugal, an incredible 3-3 draw saw the spoils shared and a similar story played out at Ibrox with a 2-2 draw.

Rangers and Benfica have previous in this competition (Image: Getty Images

This time around, the stakes are a little higher. In terms of form, Benfica have drawn twice and won three times in their last five. They currently sit top of the league but have faltered recently as Sporting sit on the same points with a game in hand. Where the Europa League is concerned, things aren’t what they would want either. After crashing out of the Champions League, Benfica faced 14th-placed Ligue 1 side Toulouse where they struggled to get the result. There is an element of discontent among the fans and an air of uncertainty.

The feeling around their opponents couldn’t be any different. Rangers have won their last five matches scoring 15 and conceding just two. Since the appointment of Philippe Clemment Rangers have lost once in all competitions and clawed back a seven-point gap to the point where they now sit five points clear. In their most recent game, they battered Hearts 5-0 who currently sit third in the league. The atmosphere at Ibrox will be electrifying and add to an already entertaining game.

These are some of the matches to look out for in what promises to be another superb rendition of the Europa League.