In a day marked by UEFA's errors and changes in the draws to set up the round of 16 matches in its competitions, the Conference League has also revealed its pairings for the playoffs that will take place in February 2022. This will be the first step towards Tirana.
Just like its big brother, UEFA's third club tournament will have the third-place finishers from the Europa League group stage face off against the teams that finished second in their groups in the Conference. Those who have won each of the tournament's groups are already waiting for their opponents in the round of 16.
Between February 17th and 24th, the first matches of the knockout stage will be played in a Conference League that still has pending the resolution of what will happen in group G, where Tottenham still owes their match against Rennes for the last matchday due to the wave of Covid 19 positives that hit Antonio Conte's team.
UEFA has placed Tottenham alongside Vitesse, their opponent in the group, in the same pot to imply that there is still no unanimous decision regarding a match with Rennes that, despite having suspension notices from Tottenham, has not yet been resolved by UEFA. LASK Linz, Gent, Roma, AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord, Copenhagen, Rennes, and Basel are already waiting for their opponents at the end of February.
The Conference League playoffs
Olympique de Marseille vs. Qarabag
PSV Eindhoven vs. Maccabi
Tel Aviv. Fenerbahce vs. Slavia Prague
Midtjylland vs. PAOK
Leicester vs. Randers
Celtic Glasgow vs. Bodo/Glimt
Sparta Prague vs. Partizan
Rapid Vienna vs. Tottenham/Vitesse.