Europa League Round of 16: Rangers Stun Fenerbahçe, Roma Edge Bilbao, Spurs Stumble

Author: Dieudonne Tebit | Date: March 6, 2025

The UEFA Europa League Round of 16 first-leg matches on March 6, 2025, provided fans with thrilling encounters and dramatic moments, setting up an exciting second leg next week. Here's a recap of all the action.

AZ Alkmaar 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
AZ Alkmaar stunned Tottenham Hotspur with a narrow 1-0 victory, thanks to an unfortunate own goal from Lucas Bergvall in the 18th minute. Despite controlling possession, Spurs struggled to break down the Dutch side’s defense, failing to register a shot on target. They will need a much-improved performance in the return leg.

Fenerbahçe 1-3 Rangers
Rangers produced a commanding display in Istanbul, securing a crucial 3-1 win over Fenerbahçe. Cyriel Dessers opened the scoring early, while Vaclav Černý netted twice to put the Scottish side in control. Fenerbahçe briefly leveled through Alexander Djiku, but Rangers’ attacking quality proved too much to handle.

FCSB 1-3 Olympique Lyonnais
Olympique Lyonnais secured an important away win in Bucharest, defeating FCSB 3-1. Nicolás Tagliafico struck first for Lyon before Alexandru Băluță equalized. However, Malick Fofana’s late brace sealed the victory, giving the French side a strong advantage heading into the second leg.

Real Sociedad 1-1 Manchester United
In a closely contested match, Real Sociedad and Manchester United played out a 1-1 draw. Joshua Zirkzee gave United the lead in the 57th minute, but Mikel Oyarzabal equalized from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. With the tie finely balanced, both teams will be aiming to gain the upper hand in the second leg at Old Trafford.

Viktoria Plzeň 1-2 Lazio
Lazio secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Viktoria Plzeň, despite finishing the match with nine men. Alessio Romagnoli put Lazio ahead, only for Rafiu Durosinmi to equalize. However, Gustav Isaksen struck deep into stoppage time to secure the win. Lazio will be without Nicolò Rovella and Samuel Gigot in the second leg after both were sent off.

Bodø/Glimt 3-0 Olympiacos
Bodø/Glimt produced a dominant performance to defeat Olympiacos 3-0. An own goal from Konstantinos Tzolakis set the tone before Kristian Høgh scored twice to seal a commanding victory. The Norwegian side will take a comfortable lead into the second leg.

Ajax 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt earned a valuable 2-1 away win over Ajax. Goals from Hugo Larsson and Ellyes Skhiri gave the German side the upper hand, while Ajax struggled to capitalize on their home advantage. Frankfurt will now look to finish the job in the return leg.

AS Roma 2-1 Athletic Bilbao
AS Roma edged past Athletic Bilbao with a 2-1 victory. Iñaki Williams opened the scoring for Bilbao, but Roma responded with goals from Angeliño and Eldor Shomurodov. Bilbao’s task became harder after Yeray Álvarez was sent off, putting them at a disadvantage for the return fixture.

Looking Ahead
With several ties delicately poised, the second-leg matches promise to deliver even more drama as teams fight for a spot in the quarter-finals. Tottenham, Manchester United, and Athletic Bilbao will need to step up, while Rangers, Lyon, and Bodø/Glimt are in commanding positions.

The stage is set for an exciting conclusion to the Round of 16!