The UEFA Conference League is nearing its crucial stages, and the Round of 16 draw is set to take place on February 21, at 1pm UK time, at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland. This draw will determine the path forward for top teams like Chelsea, who have bypassed the knockout round play-offs by finishing as one of the top eight clubs in the league phase. Chelsea's possible opponents in the Round of 16 include Gent, Real Betis, Copenhagen, or Heidenheim, with the exact matchup to be decided by the draw.
The draw process involves pairing the top eight clubs based on their positions at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs. These pairs are then drawn into one of two positions in the Round of 16 against the winners of the knockout phase play-offs. The seeded teams will play the away leg of their Round of 16 tie on March 6, with the return leg scheduled for March 13. The teams that finished between ninth and 24th in the league phase standings will be unseeded for the rest of the competition. The Conference League has undergone significant changes this season, with a new 36-team league format replacing the old 32-team group phase.
The Round of 16 matchups will be determined by the draw, with the top eight sides automatically reaching this stage and being seeded accordingly. The potential opponents for each of the top eight teams are as follows:
- Chelsea vs. Betis (15th seed) or Copenhagen (18th)
- Vitoria Guimaraes vs. Betis (15th) or Copenhagen (18th)
- Fiorentina vs. Panathinaikos (13th) or Borac Banja Luka (20th)
- Rapid Vienna vs. Panathinaikos (13th) or Borac Banja Luka (20th)
- Djurgarden vs. Pafos (12th) or Celje (21st)
- Lugano vs. Pafos (12th) or Celje (21st)
- Legia Warsaw vs. Jagiellonia (9th) or Molde (23rd)
- Cercle Brugge vs. Jagiellonia (9th) or Molde (23rd)
The
knockout phase will continue with the quarter-finals scheduled for April 10 and 17, followed by the semi-finals on May 1 and 8. The final will take place on May 21 in Wroclaw, Poland. The draw for the Round of 16, quarter-finals, and semi-finals will be streamed live on UEFA.com.
The UEFA Conference League final will be played on Wednesday, May 28, at 21:00 CET in Wroclaw, Poland. The Wroclaw Stadium, home of Slask Wroclaw, will host the final, having previously hosted the Polish national team and games during EURO 2012. With the competition heating up, fans can expect exciting matchups and intense football action in the coming weeks.
In conclusion, the UEFA Conference League Round of 16 draw is a crucial step in determining the champions of the competition. With top teams like Chelsea and Fiorentina awaiting their opponents, the draw will set the stage for the next stage of the competition. The Conference League has already seen significant changes this season, and the knockout phase is expected to be highly competitive. Fans can follow the draw live on UEFA.com and stay tuned for the latest updates on the competition.
