Conference League Draw: Crystal Palace face AEK Larnaca as Fiorentina meet Rakow
The knockout stage of the UEFA Europa Conference League is beginning to take shape after Friday’s round-of-16 draw paired several European clubs in intriguing matchups on the road to Leipzig. Among the standout ties, Crystal Palace will take on Cypriot side AEK Larnaca after progressing through the play-off round earlier in the week.
Italian side ACF Fiorentina, regular contenders in the competition, were drawn against Polish club Raków Częstochowaas the race for European silverware intensifies. The first legs of the round-of-16 fixtures will be played on March 12, with return matches scheduled a week later.
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Crystal Palace continue European push
Crystal Palace enter the knockout stage with growing confidence after eliminating HŠK Zrinjski Mostar in the play-off round. Following a difficult first-leg encounter in Bosnia, Palace produced a composed performance at Selhurst Park to secure a 2–0 victory in the second leg and book their place in the last 16.
The English side, widely regarded as one of the favourites to lift the trophy this season, are chasing their first major European title. However, the challenge becomes tougher with the top eight teams from the league phase now entering the knockout bracket. Their opponents AEK Larnaca arrive as one of the tournament’s resilient teams and will hope to cause an upset against the Premier League side.
Fiorentina draw another Polish opponent
Meanwhile, Fiorentina survived a dramatic play-off tie against Jagiellonia Białystok to reach the round of 16. The Italian club now face another Polish side in Raków, who have emerged as one of the strongest teams in the competition outside Europe’s traditional football powers. Fiorentina have been frequent contenders in the Conference League in recent seasons and are again expected to challenge for the title.
Strasbourg and Rijeka headline other key fixtures
Elsewhere, French club RC Strasbourg Alsace, unbeaten during the league phase and now managed by Gary O'Neil, will face Croatian side HNK Rijeka. Rijeka advanced to the knockout round after defeating AC Omonia across two legs.
Another notable tie sees Dutch side AZ Alkmaar take on AC Sparta Prague, a matchup expected to be among the most competitive of the round.
Spanish, Greek and Turkish clubs also in the mix
Spanish outfit Rayo Vallecano, the only La Liga representative left in the competition, have been drawn against Turkish club Samsunspor. Meanwhile, AEK Athens will face Slovenian side NK Celje, while Ukrainian giants FC Shakhtar Donetsk meet Polish side Lech Poznań. Elsewhere, Czech club SK Sigma Olomouc were paired with German side 1. FSV Mainz 05.
Full Conference League Round-of-16 Draw
- Lech Poznań vs Shakhtar Donetsk
- AZ Alkmaar vs Sparta Prague
- Crystal Palace vs AEK Larnaca
- Fiorentina vs Raków
- Samsunspor vs Rayo Vallecano
- Celje vs AEK Athens
- Sigma Olomouc vs Mainz
- Rijeka vs Strasbourg
Potential Knockout Path to the Final
With the bracket confirmed all the way to the final, clubs now have a clearer view of the road ahead. If Fiorentina progress past Raków, they could meet Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals, a tie that would pit two of the tournament’s strongest sides against each other.
Strasbourg, meanwhile, could face Rayo Vallecano in a potential semi-final clash if both teams advance through their respective ties. For underdogs Sigma Olomouc, an upset against Mainz could set up a quarter-final meeting with Strasbourg.
Road to Leipzig
The tournament will conclude at Red Bull Arena Leipzig on May 27, where the finalists will compete for the UEFA Conference League trophy. With clubs from across Europe still in contention and several evenly matched ties ahead, the knockout stage promises to deliver another compelling chapter in the competition’s growing history.
SportsLigue