Sports
UEL Play-Offs: Forest Draw Fenerbahçe as Celtic Face Stuttgart
Nottingham Forest and Celtic have been handed challenging fixtures in the UEFA Europa League play-off round as both clubs look to secure a place in the competition’s last 16. The draw, released on Friday, confirmed that Forest will face Turkish heavyweights Fenerbahçe, while Scottish champions Celtic have been paired against Germany’s Stuttgart.
Celtic, who were also in contention to meet Hungarian side Ferencváros, will instead take on Stuttgart in a two-legged encounter that begins at Celtic Park before concluding in Germany. The Scottish side booked their place in the play-offs after a 4–2 victory over Utrecht, finishing 21st in the league-phase standings. Progression would see Celtic advance to the last 16, where they would meet either Porto or Braga, depending on the outcome of their respective tie.
For Nottingham Forest, the draw produced a difficult test against Fenerbahçe, one of Turkey’s most established clubs. Forest had been linked with a potential clash against Panathinaikos, but the draw placed them against the Istanbul-based side. Forest finished 13th in the league phase following a dominant 4–0 win over Ferencváros, a result that earned them the advantage of hosting the second leg at home. Should they advance, Forest will face either Midtjylland or Real Betis in the next round.
The Europa League play-off ties will be contested over two legs on February 19 and 26, with the higher-ranked team hosting the second fixture. Several clubs have already secured automatic qualification to the last 16 after finishing in the top eight of the league phase, including Lyon, Aston Villa, Porto, Roma and Freiburg.
Meanwhile, the Europa League final has been scheduled for May 20, 2026, at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul. With high-profile clashes ahead, both Forest and Celtic will be aiming to navigate the play-offs successfully and continue their European campaigns into the knockout stages.
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