Europa League: Matchday Seven Results
Following a one-month winter break, the Europa League, Europe's second-tier club competition, resumed on January 23, 2026. The seventh round of group stage matches saw 19 clubs confirm their places in the knockout phase, while six teams were mathematically eliminated from the tournament.
In a key fixture, Italian side Roma defeated Stuttgart 2:0, with Nicolo Pisilli scoring both goals in the 40th and 93rd minutes. Matchday seven also featured hat-tricks from Dion Beljo of Dinamo Zagreb, Kerim-Sam Alaybegovic of RB Salzburg, and Tiago Gouveia of Nice. Beljo's four goals currently place him second in the tournament's scoring charts.
Teams Eliminated and Those Needing a Win
The six clubs whose European journey has ended are:
- 'Sturm Graz'
- 'Rangers'
- 'Nice'
- 'Utrecht'
- 'Malmo'
- 'Maccabi Tel Aviv'
Meanwhile, five teams must win their final group match to advance:
- 'Feyenoord'
- 'Basel'
- 'RB Salzburg'
- 'FCSB Steaua'
- 'Go Ahead Eagles'
The full list of results from the seventh matchday is as follows:
- 'Roma' – 'Stuttgart' 2:0 (1:0)
- 'Bologna' – 'Celtic' 2:2 (0:2)
- 'Brann' – 'Midtjylland' 3:3 (1:2)
- 'Viktoria Plzen' – 'Porto' 1:1 (1:0)
- 'Malmo' – 'Crvena Zvezda' 0:1 (0:1)
- PAOK – 'Betis' 2:0 (0:0)
- 'Feyenoord' – 'Sturm Graz' 3:0 (1:0)
- 'Fenerbahce' – 'Aston Villa' 0:1 (0:1)
- 'Freiburg' – 'Maccabi Tel Aviv' 1:0 (0:0)
- 'Young Boys' – 'Lyon' 0:1 (0:1)
- 'Braga' – 'Nottingham' 1:0 (0:0)
- 'Dinamo Zagreb' – 'FCSB Steaua' 4:1 (2:1)
- 'RB Salzburg' – 'Basel' 3:1 (3:0)
- 'Nice' – 'Go Ahead Eagles' 3:1 (2:0)
- 'Rangers' – 'Ludogorets' 1:0 (1:0)
- 'Celta' – 'Lille' 2:1 (1:0)
- 'Utrecht' – 'Genk' 0:2 (0:0)
- 'Ferencvaros' – 'Panathinaikos' 1:1 (0:0)
This pivotal round highlighted the intense competition within the tournament and decided the fate of many clubs for this season. The Europa League often provides a crucial pathway to Champions League qualification, adding to the high stakes. With the group stage nearing its conclusion, the playoff picture is coming into sharp focus, promising exciting knockout football ahead as the remaining contenders vie for the trophy.