2023/2024 Conference League Round of 16

[amenina]

https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaconferen ... f-16-draw/

The Europa Conference League round of 16 draw takes place at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, on Friday 23 February at 13:00 CET.

The draw features 16 teams. The eight group stage winners from the Conference League group stage are seeded, and will face the knockout round play-off winners.

Group winners (seeded)
Aston Villa (ENG)
Club Brugge (BEL)
Fenerbahçe (TUR)
Fiorentina (ITA)
LOSC Lille (FRA)
Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)
PAOK (GRE)
Viktoria Plzeň (CZE)

Knockout round play-off winners (unseeded)
Ajax (NED)
Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)
Maccabi Haifa (ISR)
Molde (NOR)
Olympiacos (GRE)
Servette (SUI)
Sturm Graz (AUT)
Union SG (BEL)

No side can face another team from the same national association.

[Firnen]

Olympiacos wants Plzen or Maccabi Tel Aviv ideally, but anyone except Aston Villa would be acceptable.

PAOK wants to avoid USG, I would pick either Dinamo Zagreb who can't against Greek clubs or Servette. But they'll draw Ajax again probably.

Only 3 top 5 league clubs continue so we will have someone from a non top 5 league in the Semis.

[Sagy]

Olympiacos wants Plzen or Maccabi Tel Aviv ideally, but anyone except Aston Villa would be acceptable.

PAOK wants to avoid USG, I would pick either Dinamo Zagreb who can't against Greek clubs or Servette. But they'll draw Ajax again probably.

Only 3 top 5 league clubs continue so we will have someone from a non top 5 league in the Semis.

The draw will be key. With the “right” draw, any of the 13 “non-top 5 leagues” teams can be at the semifinals. With a bad draw, any of them can be out in R16. I can also see 1 or more of the top 5 leagues teams eliminated before the semifinals.

[matt]

For a (not in form) Fiorentina it's better to avoid USG and maybe also a resurgent Olympiacos.
Beyond that, i see a bunch of mediocre teams, with all due respect.

[eye]

Draw probabilities for R16

[bugylibicska]

If I'd pick for Dinamo Zagreb then Maccabi Tel-Aviv. Fenerbahce and PAOK should be OK against any unseeded.

[naaba]

Union Saint-Gilloise is really a dark horse. They are so unpredictable. First season in top division, they play the title. They eventually are not champions. Then everyone predicted they'd only become a mid-table team after losing important players. They play the title again. Until the last minute of the last match. And they go to EL-QF on their first European campaign. Then they lose some players again (including Victor Boniface). Yet they keep going to amaze everyone and they lead the table 8 points ahead of Anderlecht.

I didn't give them much chances against Eintracht Frankfurt who could seriously consider grabbing the Conference League. Yesterday Eintracht were playing at home in front of 57,000 people. Yet Union managed to avoid a loss in 4 consecutive matches in Germany. For a second win. Normally when a Belgian club doesn't lose in Germany it's a miracle.

If Union draws Aston Villa or Fiorentina, I'll see them out. But I know they have that magical spirit.

[bugylibicska]

My wishlist:

Maccabi TA - Dinamo Zagreb
Fenerbahce - Servette
PAOK - Sturm Graz
Plzen - Maccabi Haifa
Fiorentina - Molde
Aston Villa - Ajax
Club Brugge - Olympiakos
Lille - Union SG

[Sagy]

My wishlist:

Maccabi TA - Dinamo Zagreb
Fenerbahce - Servette
PAOK - Sturm Graz
Plzen - Maccabi Haifa
Fiorentina - Molde
Aston Villa - Ajax
Club Brugge - Olympiakos
Lille - Union SG

I would move Oly to the Molde spot and slide Molde and Ajax one down.

[bugylibicska]

My wishlist:

Maccabi TA - Dinamo Zagreb
Fenerbahce - Servette
PAOK - Sturm Graz
Plzen - Maccabi Haifa
Fiorentina - Molde
Aston Villa - Ajax
Club Brugge - Olympiakos
Lille - Union SG

I would move Oly to the Molde spot and slide Molde and Ajax one down.

Yeah, I'm OK with that. Club Brugge - Ajax? Juicy!

[gderoo]

Union Saint-Gilloise is really a dark horse.

If Union draws Aston Villa or Fiorentina, I'll see them out. But I know they have that magical spirit.

I disagree with Fiorentina, Genk also played them and Fiorentina was struggling,
I would love to see what they would achieve against them.

I think Aston Villa is the team to beat at this stage and favorite in this competition, you are right about them
but football can be so unpredictable at times. I also consider Lille as a contender.

I don't really care about what team they or Bruges get. Anything is doable, but it works both ways.

[seso]

PAOK vs Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi TA vs Olympiacos would be great!

[Eyal]

PAOK vs Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi TA vs Olympiacos would be great!

I prefer Maccabi Haifa vs Viktoria Plzen but PAOK is also ok.
And Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Servette, Sturm or Molde

[Eyal]

PAOK vs Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi TA vs Olympiacos would be great!

I prefer Maccabi Haifa vs Viktoria Plzen but PAOK is also ok.
And Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Servette, Sturm or Molde

I changed my mind. For Molde I would want Aston Villa. Maccabi Tel Aviv is in bad form and will lost against them

[Ogiman]

Do we have any confirmation if Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv will once again play their home matches in Budapest and Bačka Topola?