In the week marked by the resumption of the European Cups, the UEFA Europa League also makes its return with an “appetizer” to the upcoming knock-out stage: the play-off fixtures to take place within the next two weeks will decide the remaining 8 participants to the last-16 tie.
As for Atalanta, already qualified in the UEL Round of 16 on the grounds of closing the Group Stage on top of Group D, Gasperini’s men will play the waiting game looking forward to knowing which team will make the cut in the games of Thursday 15 February (1st-leg) and Thursday 22 February (2nd-leg) to enter the pot for the draw – scheduled for Friday 23 February – of the knockout stage.
The Round of 16 tie will take place between the 7th and 14th of March.
The full fixture list of the UEL play-offs: Feyenoord v Roma; Galatasaray v Sparta Praha; Shakhtar Donetsk v Marseille; Young Boys v Sporting CP; Benfica v Toulouse; Milan v Rennes; Lens v Freiburg; Braga v Qarabag.
In addition to Atalanta, the list of teams already qualified to the knock-out stage comprises: Brighton (ENG), Leverkusen (GER), Liverpool (ENG), Rangers (SCO), Slavia Praha (CZE), Villareal (ESP) and West Ham (ENG).
To relive our six UEL nights to the fullest, check the official YouTube playlist: from the build-up to the aftermath and all the post-match interviews in between, rewind on Atalanta’s climb to the Group D summit.
