2025/26 Conference League best league phase games: Which was your favourite?

The league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Conference League has now concluded and there were certainly a number of eye-catching encounters as the format continued to capture the imagination.

UEFA picks out eight of the best matches in the competition so far. Which was your favourite? Take a look at our picks and have your say!

Matchday 1: Celje 3-1 AEK Athens

Last season, Jagiellonia's Afimico Pululu was the Thursday night breakout star of the Conference League, Celje's Franko Kovačević seizing that crown on Matchday 1 this time round as the Croatian scored all three of the Slovenian champions' goals to overturn a 1-0 deficit. A confident finish from a loose ball, a close-range tap-in and a guiding touch to a team-mate's shot completed the first hat-trick of the league phase and allowed Kovačević to perfect his baroque wobbly hands followed by Viktor Gyökeres' facemask goal celebration.

Matchday 1: Aberdeen 2-3 Shakhtar

Conceding an eighth-minute penalty was a far from ideal start for Shakhtar but the visitors equalised before the break through Yehor Nazaryna and a rousing half-time team talk from coach Arda Turan – shared on social media – helped them to raise their game further at Pittodrie, Lucas Ferreira's downward header and a powerful Pedro Henrique finish into the bottom corner putting them 3-1 up. Nicky Devlin struck back in the 69th minute to keep the fixture alive, but the Pitmen dug in to secure the three points.

Matchday 2: Crystal Palace 0-1 AEK Larnaca

AEK won 4-0 at home against AZ Alkmaar on Matchday 1, but few expected the Cypriot side to upstage Crystal Palace as the Premier League side celebrated their first-ever league phase home fixture. The Yellow-and-Greens earned their luck with some good defending and Riad Bajić produced a terrific finish from distance on 51 minutes to settle the game. "We found this amazing goal for Riad [Bajić] and showed amazing quality to defend the advantage," concluded coach Imanol Idiakez.

Matchday 2: Lincoln Red Imps 2-1 Lech Poznań

Lincoln Red Imps had lost all seven of their previous league phase games before Lech came to Gibraltar and their dream of a first win looked to have foundered after a 77th-minute penalty cancelled out Kike Gómez's 33rd-minute opener. Christian Rutjens had other ideas, a looping headed winner on 88 minutes making a little bit of footballing history. "It's a magical night which is down to hard work that paid off," said the match-winner. "Seeing the ball go in [for the winner] was just what we deserved."

Matchday 3: Rayo Vallecano 3-2 Lech Poznań

"Rayo's players know that the fans will unconditionally support them and help," said coach Iñigo Pérez, that backing benefiting his players hugely after the Little Thunderbolt went in at the break 2-0 down at home against Lech. Isi Palazón's 58th-minute finish gave the Madrid side hope, Jorge de Frutos levelled on 83 minutes and Alvaro Garcia delivered the decisive finish deep into added time to create perhaps the most memorable moment of Rayo's first European campaign since 2000/01.

Matchday 4: Strasbourg 2-1 Crystal Palace

“It will be a night that he never forgets,” said Strasbourg boss Liam Rosenior of Samir El Mourabet, who pounced on a free-kick that came back off the Palace crossbar to hit the French side's winner. Rosenior's youthful charges rode their luck after Tyrick Mitchell gave the visitors the lead, Palace hitting the post and the crossbar, but Emmanuel Emegha equalised after the restart and El Mourabet struck on 77 minutes to win it. "We had big chances but we didn't score," reflected Palace defender Maxence Lacroix. "You have to kill [teams off]."

Matchday 5: Noah 2-1 Legia Warszawa

Conference League poster boys, Armenia's Noah are benefitting from regular European games in their second league phase campaign. Against 2024/25 quarter-finalists Legia they conceded inside the opening two minutes, but responded through Matheus Aiás before Nardin Mulahusejnović pounced on a loose ball to poke in an 85th-minute winner, his fifth league phase goal. "We beat a big European team," said coach Sandro Perković. "I see the fire in my players' eyes and I feel the support of the club and everyone working with me."

Matchday 6: AEK Athens 3-2 Universitatea Craiova

AEK may have been resigned to ending their league phase campaign on a low note when they went 2-0 down at home against Universitatea, and while Domagoj Vida pulled one back after 65 minutes, they trailed 2-1 at the 90-minute mark. Derek Kutesa then levelled eight minutes into added time, before a penalty was awarded and converted by Luka Jović 15 minutes into added time. Defeat denied the visitors a knockout phase place in the most agonising fashion. "We kept pressing, kept pushing, together with these wonderful fans," said AEK coach Marko Nikolić at full time. "It's an important victory."