Sorteggio degli ottavi di finale della Europa Conference League: Aston Villa pronto per il match contro Ajax, Fiorentina di fronte a Maccabi Haifa.

In a thrilling Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrated his second goal with great enthusiasm. The match took place on November 26, 2023, and showcased Watkins’ exceptional skills on the field.

Aston Villa has now been handed a blockbuster tie against Ajax in the UEFA Europa Conference League last 16. This exciting draw pits two former European champions against each other, promising an intense battle between the English and Dutch sides. The tie will be played on March 7 and 14, with Villa hosting the second leg at home.

Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side topped their Conference League group, winning four out of six games and finishing ahead of Legia Warsaw, AZ Alkmaar, and Zrinjski. However, their path to the quarter-finals is now obstructed by one of the most illustrious names in European football, Ajax.

Ajax, who now boasts former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson in their ranks, had a challenging journey to reach this stage. They finished behind Brighton and Marseille in the Europa League, leading them to drop into the Conference League. In the play-off round, they faced Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt and narrowly secured a 4-3 aggregate victory with an extra-time winner from Kenneth Taylor.

Despite their European pedigree, Ajax has struggled this season and currently sits fifth in the Eredivisie table, a significant 26 points behind leaders PSV. On the other hand, Aston Villa is enjoying a successful campaign in the Premier League, currently sitting fourth and eyeing a surprise qualification spot for the Champions League.

The draw for the Europa Conference League last 16 also revealed other exciting matchups. Fiorentina, last season’s runners-up, will face Maccabi Haifa, while Turkish giants Fenerbache will take on Union SG. Greek heavyweights Olympiacos will clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv, and Lille will battle against Sturm Graz.

Servette will face Viktoria Plzen, Molde will go up against Club Brugge, and Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb will challenge PAOK. The draw showcased the clash between the eight seeded sides, who topped their Conference League groups, and the eight unseeded sides who came through the play-offs.

The Europa Conference League final is scheduled to take place at the AEK Arena in Athens on May 29, 2024. Football fans can expect an exhilarating journey as these teams compete for the ultimate glory in European football.