UEFA Europa League knockout phase play-offs: What to look out for in the first legs

Celtic host Stuttgart and Fenerbahçe are preparing for Nottingham Forest, with plenty of league phase rivalries being rekindled as the knockout phase play-offs kick off on Thursday 19 February.

We preview the first-leg action.

First leg fixtures

Early games (18:45 CET)
GNK Dinamo vs Genk
PAOK vs Celta
Brann vs Bologna
Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest

Late games (21:00 CET)
Ludogorets vs Ferencváros
Panathinaikos vs Viktoria Plzeň
Lille vs Crvena Zvezda
Celtic vs Stuttgart

Standout fixtures

Celtic vs Stuttgart

The story: Celtic caretaker boss Martin O'Neill was in charge last time the Bhoys took on Stuttgart, winning 5-4 on aggregate in the fourth round of the 2002/03 UEFA Cup. That tie hinged on a 3-2 second-leg defeat in Germany, in which O'Neill's side clung on grimly to secure maximum value for a 3-1 first-leg success. "The last 20 minutes seemed like an eternity," the manager said at the time. With the 73-year-old thriving during his (two) unexpected returns to the Celtic bench this season, he may be keen to savour every second of this encounter.

The stat: In nine home meetings with Bundesliga sides since Stuttgart's last visit, Celtic's record is W2 D1 L6.

Fenerbahçe vs Nottingham Forest

The story: Nottingham Forest will make their first ever trip to Türkiye in the knockout round play-offs. Fenerbahçe have hosted English opponents already this season, losing 1-0 to Aston Villa in a game in which they may have deserved more. "If you play brave football against these kinds of opponents, you always end up giving them space to attack, and they have the quality to hurt you on the counter," said Fenerbahçe boss Domenico Tedesco.

The stat: Two-time European champions Forest have not featured in European competition since they reached the UEFA Cup quarter-finals in 1995/96.

PAOK vs Celta

The story: Răzvan Lucescu's PAOK lost 3-1 at Celta in this season's league phase, with the Spanish side's boss Claudio Giráldez not too concerned about a rematch. "They are opponents we have faced before," he said. "We have to start at their place but we both get to play at home." PAOK, though, are a different prospect in their native Greece. Indeed, they have yet to lose in seven home games against Spanish sides (W4 D3), with a 4-4 UEFA Cup draw against Atleti in 1997 the only one of those matches in which they conceded.

The stat: PAOK have conceded just once in their last six UEFA home games (W3 D3).

Plus

• The top scorer in this season's competition, Petar Stanić will look to add to his seven-goal haul as his Ludogorets side host Ferencváros. The Bulgarian champions lost 3-1 to Fradi on Matchday 4.
• Through to the spring phase of a UEFA club competition for the first time in nearly 20 years, Norway's Brann welcome Bologna to Bergen. The sides met in the league phase, drawing 0-0 in Italy.
• Lille also have familiar opponents in their play-off opener as they take on Crvena Zvezda. They lost 1-0 away against the Serbian side on Matchday 4, Marko Arnautović converting a late penalty.