The knockout stages are finally here, and we had a doozy of a 1st leg slate.

In Europa, AZ pummeled Galatasaray, as part of a perfect day for the Dutch sides. Meanwhile in the Conference, Vikingur stunned Panathinaikos, while Shamrock took down Molde in Norway on the backs of a 16-year old debutant.

We'll give you all the insight on those major upsets, as well as the big clubs which rebounded from subpar periods, plus discuss the plethora of game-altering golazos and red cards.

Finally, we look ahead to the 2nd legs and identify which ties may flip on their heads.

Cheers Sölvi Ottesen!

The Knockout Phase Playoff round is upon us in the Europa and Conference Leagues. 32 clubs enter, but only half will advance to their respective Round of 16s, and we're here to break it all down for you.

We discuss each matchup in both competitions, from the star-studded Porto-Roma to the no-less-sexy TSC-Jagiellonia, and everything in between, including an in-form Ajax, a Cyprus on Cyprus matchup, the struggling Spanish sides, and so much more.

We've also got updates on January transfers, star players, youngsters to watch out for, recent form, and all the juicy details you could ask for.

So dive in with us and get yourself prepared for another top-shelf European Thursday.

Cheers Francesco Farioli!

We were treated to our first Europa League Phase conclusion, and it certainly did not disappoint.

Almost every club had something to play for, with both the knockout qualification spots and many of the Top 8 byes still in play.

We cover each match, its effect on the table, and take you through the drama of the final moments which decided who made the knockout rounds and who was left out in the cold.

Then we take a look ahead to the bracket, take a dip in David's coefficient corner, and speculate whether Americans like this new UCL/UEL/UECL format more than Europeans.

Cheers to Joseph Oosting!