Best games of the 2024/25 Europa League season: Which was your favourite?

The 2024/25 UEFA Europa League looked a little different to previous seasons, with the introduction of the inaugural league phase, yet delivered the usual level of excitement, big performances and gripping drama.

Have a look through UEFA.com's selection of the best games and choose your favourite.

Bodø/Glimt 3-2 Porto

Bodø/Glimt weathered late Porto pressure to make a winning start to their Europa League campaign on Matchday 1. The visitors took an early lead through Samu, but their Norwegian hosts reacted strongly, turning it into a 2-1 half-time advantage after well-worked goals from Kasper Høgh and Jens Petter Hauge.

The contest seemed to swing in the Portuguese side's favour when Isak Dybvik Määttä collected a second yellow after the break, but Bodø/Glimt extended their lead soon after, Hauge claiming his second. Deniz Gül reduced the deficit in the 90th minute, but the hosts held on for an impressive win. "We found a strong, organised and fast opponent coming towards our goal," admitted Porto coach Vítor Bruno.

Porto 3-3 Manchester United

Porto were popular with the neutrals again on Matchday 2, splitting the points in a six-goal thriller at the Estádio do Dragão. Harry Maguire's added-time header saved Manchester United after they ceded a two-goal lead – Brazilian forward Pepê and Spanish striker Samu cancelling out early efforts from Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Højlund before Samu's second handed Porto the lead.

The dismissal of Bruno Fernandes in the 81st minute made things even more difficult for United, but substitute Maguire rose highest to convert a late corner and rescue his side. "It's a good point gained from that situation," the 31-year-old said. "It was fantastic to come on at the end and salvage a point for my team."

Galatasaray 4-3 Elfsborg

A valiant Elfsborg performance on Matchday 3 went unrewarded as Galatasaray edged a seven-goal thriller in Istanbul. The hosts led 3-0 at the break thanks to strikes from Mauro Icardi and Barış Alper Yılmaz either side of an Isak Pettersson own goal, but a second-half fightback from the Swedish side ensured a nervy ending. "We forced Galatasaray into mistakes," coach Oscar Hiljemark said of the resurgence. "We identified their weaknesses and scored three goals."

Niklas Hult applied the finishing touch to a sweeping team move in the 52nd minute before Michael Baidoo converted from the penalty spot to bring Elfsborg within one goal of levelling. However, after Yunus Akgün restored some breathing space in the 83rd minute, Johan Larsson's stoppage-time finish was not enough to earn a point for the visitors.

Galatasaray 3-2 Tottenham

Another high-scoring encounter in Istanbul next time out caught the eye, Galatasaray emerging narrow victors in a game that truly had it all. The tone for a thrilling evening was quickly set – Yunus Akgün powering a half-volley into the far top corner from outside the box in the sixth minute, before 19-year-old Tottenham forward Will Lankshear responded with his first senior goal.

Two Victor Osimhen finishes gave the hosts a half-time lead, and Lankshear was dismissed after the break to make matters worse for the trailing side. Though substitute Dominic Solanke reduced the deficit to one goal, Spurs ultimately fell to their first defeat of the campaign. "This was an important evening for Turkish football," said Galatasaray coach Okan Buruk. "We showed what we can do against a quality English team."

Lyon 3-2 Frankfurt

Lyon edged a rip-roaring contest in France on a night when both sides confirmed their places in the knockout phase with two games to spare. It was the visitors who struck first in an end-to-end contest, Ansgar Knauff coolly volleying in as Frankfurt looked to maintain their unbeaten record in the league phase.

Rayan Cherki equalised just nine minutes later, and in the second half Malick Fofana completed the comeback with a placed finish before Ernest Nuamah bent in a brilliant third. Omar Marmoush set up a thrilling finale by beating the offside trap and slotting in five minutes from the end, but Lyon held on for their fourth victory of the league phase, while results elsewhere ensured Frankfurt joined them in securing a top-24 finish despite the loss.

Qarabağ 2-3 FCSB

Leandro Andrade battled through to put the hosts in front inside 60 seconds, but the scene was set for a ping-pong affair after seven minutes when Adrian Şut headed FCSB level. Joyskim Dawa redirected a Qarabağ cross past his own keeper to restore the hosts' advantage, but it was level by the break, David Miculescu rattling in at the far post after a corner.

FCSB captain Şut then settled the tie with another header from a corner, once more celebrating with a gesture in honour of his father, who died last year. "I think I managed to make him proud once again," he said. The result, meanwhile, confirmed FCSB's place in the next phase of the competition ahead of a Matchday 8 meeting with Manchester United. "We are happy to be here, to be in this position," added Şut. "We are proud of ourselves."

Anderlecht 3-4 Hoffenheim

"We were hoping to qualify for the play-offs," said Hoffenheim forward Max Moerstedt after this Matchday 8 thriller in Brussels. "That didn't happen, but we had a great game." With Anderlecht already sure of qualification, the Belgian side's dream of direct passage to the round of 16 looked to be on after Luis Vázquez gave them an 18th-minute lead, but an own goal levelled matters at the break.

Tom Bischof, David Mokwa and Adam Hložek then struck to put Hoffenheim 4-1 up with 25 minutes to go, and though Keisuke Goto and Ludwig Augustinsson reduced the deficit, the goal that would have moved Anderlecht into the top eight remained elusive. "We threw away a very good campaign in ten minutes," remarked coach David Hubert. Captain Yari Verschaeren added: "I am proud of the way we came back, but it is an incredibly bitter defeat."

Bodø/Glimt 5-2 Twente (aet)

"It was a rollercoaster of a football match," Bodø/Glimt midfielder Ulrik Saltnes said after this chilly thriller in the knockout round play-offs. "Lots of drama and plenty of bang for the crowd's buck!" Having lost the first leg 2-1, an own goal put the Norwegian champions 3-1 behind on aggregate, and while Kasper Høgh levelled the scores on the night from the spot, the hosts were heading out as added-time approached.

At that point, it all went crazy; another own goal levelled matters before Brice Wembangomo struck what seemed to have been a 94th-minute winner from distance, only for Sem Steijn to level matters at the death. Sondre Brunstad Fet put the home side back on top in extra-time and another own goal (the third of the night) set the seal on victory. "My emotions are overloaded," Saltnes added at full-time. "I feel completely empty."

Rangers 0-2 Fenerbahçe (aet, Rangers win 3-2 on pens)

"It's easy for your head to go down at 2-0, but they never gave in," said interim Rangers coach Barry Ferguson as he came to terms with his side's progress to the last eight. The Scottish team began the night full of optimism after an impressive 3-1 win in Istanbul the previous week, but that hope vanished with the lead as Sebastian Szymański's double levelled the tie for José Mourinho's buoyant visitors.

Dušan Tadić curled just wide and Youssef En-Nesyri was denied by a last-ditch James Tavernier tackle so we moved into extra time and, slowly but surely, Rangers regained their poise to force penalties. There, keeper Jack Butland was imperious. "They showed character in abundance," said Ferguson as amid the incongruous sight of Rangers celebrating wildly after a club record fourth successive home loss.

Manchester United 5-4 Lyon (aet)

"It's hard to understand what happened," stunned Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca said after this one. "We thought we had won." With only seven minutes of extra time remaining, so did pretty much everybody else. Despite being down to ten men, OL had taken command after goals from Rayan Cherki and Alexandre Lacazette had given the visitors a 4-2 lead on the night, 6-4 on aggregate in a topsy-turvy quarter-final tie.

Bruno Fernandes provided hope when he converted a penalty, then Kobbie Mainoo somehow kept his cool to curl an equaliser into the corner and seemingly set up spot kicks. Yet there was one more twist – in added time, makeshift centre-forward Harry Maguire rose imperiously to head in the clincher. "If you look madness up in the dictionary you would probably define it as that game," said the match-winner.