Another Europa League and Conference League evening felt downright “cinematic”: in some games everything hinged on a single mistake on a cross, in others a flurry of goals within minutes blew the match wide open, and elsewhere the scoreboard flipped right on the brink of the final whistle. Against that marathon backdrop, one trend stands out: in both competitions’ tables, French clubs are appearing more and more often in the leading pack — not always dazzling, but consistently collecting points.
“Aston Villa” Survived “St. Jakob”: Shaqiri’s Assist Couldn’t Save “Basel”
In Basel, the hosts tried to set the tempo and play boldly, but “Aston Villa” came out on top — 2:1. The English side struck first from a set piece: after a corner, the ball was quite literally “bundled” into the net amid a scramble in front of goal. The Swiss responded with both emotion and intent: a thunderous effort that could have restored parity was wiped out by an offside call.
Still, “Basel” found a legitimate equaliser in mid-half. Xherdan Shaqiri delivered the ball in, and a costly mistake by the visiting goalkeeper coming off his line proved decisive — the ball dropped to Flavius Daniliuc, who made it 1:1. After the break, however, “Villa” showed why they have been so reliable over the stretch: control, patience, and a strike from outside the box. Youri Tielemans guided a low shot into the corner from beyond the area — 2:1.
The win strengthened the English club’s position among the Europa League leaders, and their form line is impressive: eight straight victories in all competitions and 14 wins in their last 16 matches. The team looks composed and very “grown-up” — even when put under pressure.
A Roman Steamroller in Glasgow: “Roma” Settled It Before Half-Time
In Glasgow, “Roma” were ruthlessly efficient and left with a 3:0 win. Notably, despite both clubs’ frequent European campaigns, this was their first official meeting. And it quickly followed an Italian script: set-piece pressure, an early goal, and emotional control.
As early as the 6th minute, “Celtic” took a psychological hit — an own goal, headed in after a corner. The Romans then finished the job before the interval: Evan Ferguson first converted a low cross, then completed his brace in first-half stoppage time.
The hosts had a chance to cling to at least a sliver of hope, but the penalty at the end of the half turned into another blow — the shot struck the post. After the restart, “Celtic” did find the net, only for offside to silence the stands. Leon Bailey’s goal was ruled out for the same reason, yet “Roma” had already built enough cushion in the opening 45 minutes: three goals — and the match was closed.
Seven Minutes of Spanish Fury: “Betis” Took Zagreb to 3:0 in the First Half
In Zagreb, “Dinamo” found themselves dismantled by a short, brutal spell. “Betis” won 3:1 away, with all three goals coming in the first half — effectively within seven minutes.
It began with an unfortunate own goal, then the lead doubled after a quick attack, and the third blow finished it: the goalkeeper lost the ball outside his box and was punished by a cool, lofted finish. The Croatians pulled one back in the second half, but it felt more like a consolation than the start of a comeback.
For “Betis”, it was a rare European repeat: the club scored three times before the break for the second time in continental competition. The previous instance came in 2022, when a wild shootout with “Zenit” ended 3:2 — a scoreline that was already in place by half-time.
More Europa League Thrillers: Comebacks, a 100-Minute 3:3, and Talisca’s Hat-Trick
The night’s European “highlights reel” was packed — several matches could easily stand alone as mini-series.
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“Nottingham Forest” took a 2:1 win from Utrecht. All the goals arrived after the break: first the visitors broke through with an individual run, then the hosts levelled from a set piece, and in the 88th minute the English side forced the winner — a quick finish on a rebound inside the box.
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“Midtjylland” keep grinding out results: 1:0 against “Genk”, with the goal coming from a follow-up on a loose ball. The Danes are on a strong run in the tournament and boast a solid home record in league-phase matches.
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“Ferencváros” turned it around at home against “Rangers” for a 2:1 win, having gone behind to a spectacular overhead kick. The Hungarians responded well: one goal came from a cut-back, the other from a clear headed finish after an aerial duel.
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“Young Boys” beat “Lille” 1:0 in a match full of penalties, red cards, and nerves. The visitors missed from the spot, while the hosts found the decisive goal from close range. Late on, the Swiss also went down to ten — tension held until the final VAR moment.
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“Stuttgart” hammered “Maccabi” Tel Aviv 4:1: early goals, a converted penalty, an immediate counterpunch on the break, and a late header to seal the rout. A curious note: Josha Vagnoman scored on his birthday again — for the second year running — and statisticians recall that in European competition, only George Weah had previously scored on his birthday in two consecutive years.
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The French angle also brought stark contrast. “Nice” lost again — 0:1 to “Braga” — and remain the only team without a point after six matchdays, while also matching a long winless run in the Europa League.
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The brightest “ride” of the night was “Ludogorets” – PAOK, which ended 3:3. Six goals, 31 shots, constant swings, lengthy VAR checks, and nearly 100 minutes of pure chaos. PAOK could have snatched it in stoppage time, but it stayed a draw.
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Another game was the perfect summary of “can’t hit the target”: “Sturm” – “Crvena Zvezda” 0:1. Plenty of attempts, little accuracy; an offside-ruled goal and a set piece that decided the outcome.
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“Freiburg” edged “Red Bull” 1:0 in a match where a late first-half red card for a reckless challenge became the turning point. The goal’s attribution varied — deflection, different names across sources, and an own goal credited on UEFA’s site.
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A separate drama unfolded in Romania: FCSB beat “Feyenoord” 4:3 despite trailing 1:3. A late comeback and a winner in stoppage time — classic European chaos at the death.
What’s Next: January’s Posters Are Already Warming Hands
The final two league-phase matchdays will be played on January 22 and 29. Even Matchday 7 offers fixtures loaded with tactics and character: “Fenerbahçe” – “Aston Villa” and “Roma” – “Stuttgart”, plus PAOK – “Betis”, “Celta” – “Lille”, “Braga” – “Nottingham Forest”, and “Bologna” – “Celtic”. “Lyon” will travel to “Young Boys” — another match where a single moment can decide everything.
Conference League: Earned Wins and Goals From “Impossible Angles”
The Conference League delivered its own storylines — lower-profile, perhaps, but no less gripping in terms of drama.
“Fiorentina” beat “Dynamo” Kyiv 2:1. The Italians went ahead with a header, the Kyiv side equalised in the second half, but Albert Gudmundsson produced the decisive finish.
In “Jagiellonia” – “Rayo Vallecano” (1:2), the defining moment was the Spanish winner: a ball driven across goal from a razor-sharp angle somehow turned into a goal — the kind that leaves goalkeepers staring into space afterward. Before that, the teams had traded goals, and the Polish side again got a direct scoring contribution from their attacking leader.
“Mainz” drew 1:1 away to “Lech”: an enforced early substitution, a quick goal soon after, an equaliser from the penalty spot, and then a red card that left the Germans to finish with ten men.
“Strasbourg” won 1:0 in Aberdeen, while “Crystal Palace” cruised to a 3:0 away win over “Shelbourne” before half-time. “Samsunspor” – AEK became a paradox: the Turkish side “scored” first but into their own net… and then the Greeks scored twice at the right end — 2:1.
“Celje”, with Nikita Iosifov, lost 0:3 away to “Rijeka”; all three goals came after the break.
A December Full Stop: The Conference League’s Final Round Is Close
The final Conference League matchday will be played on Thursday, December 18. The standout fixtures include “Mainz” – “Samsunspor”, “Crystal Palace” – KuPS, “Lausanne” – “Fiorentina”, “Strasbourg” – “Breidablik”, and “Rayo Vallecano” – “Drita”. In the Conference League, it’s often not the biggest name but set-piece discipline and a single clean finish that decides things — which means surprises are very much on the table.
