# 2024–25 UEFA Europa League knockout phase
The 2024–25 [UEFA Europa League](https://www.edgepedia.org/uefa-europa-league) knockout phase was the elimination stage of the 54th season of the competition, the first played under UEFA's new 36-club single league-phase format. It ran from the knockout phase play-offs on 13 and 20 February 2025 to the final at San Mamés in Bilbao on 21 May 2025, where Tottenham Hotspur beat Manchester United 1–0.[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0287-1964b9cd3ccd-cabff8757752-1000--2024-25-uefa-europa-league-matches-final-key-dates/) • [2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dcffd82d4a0-c280ee5f9c62-1000/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Qualification structure | The top eight clubs in the league phase qualified directly for the round of 16; clubs finishing 9th to 24th entered a two-legged knockout phase play-off for the remaining eight round-of-16 places[3](https://it.uefa.com/news-media/news/0268-1213f7aa85bb-d56154ff8fe8-1000--uefa-announces-new-format-for-club-competitions-to-be-introd/) |
| Play-off dates | 13 and 20 February 2025[1](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0287-1964b9cd3ccd-cabff8757752-1000--2024-25-uefa-europa-league-matches-final-key-dates/) |
| Round of 16 draw | Held on Friday 21 February 2025 at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland, fixing the bracket through to the final[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/) |
| Final | Tottenham Hotspur 1–0 Manchester United, 21 May 2025, San Mamés, Bilbao; Brennan Johnson scored the only goal[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dcffd82d4a0-c280ee5f9c62-1000/) |
| Record match | Manchester United 5–4 Lyon after extra time in the quarter-final second leg, a record for goals in a Europa League game[5](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dd01809ebd8-45f6dce2db5c-1000--2024-25-europa-league-season-by-numbers/) |
| Champion's reward | Tottenham's third UEFA Cup/Europa League title (after 1972 and 1984), a first trophy in 17 years, and a place in the league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dcffd82d4a0-c280ee5f9c62-1000/) |
| Season totals | 189 matches, 556 goals, 2.95 goals per match across the whole competition[6](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/history/seasons/2025/statistics/) |
## Format and qualification
The knockout phase was the first under the format approved by UEFA in 2021 and introduced for 2024/25, which replaced the traditional group stage with a single league phase of 36 clubs. The top eight sides in the league qualified automatically for the round of 16, while the teams finishing ninth to 24th competed in a two-legged play-off to secure their path to the last 16.[3](https://it.uefa.com/news-media/news/0268-1213f7aa85bb-d56154ff8fe8-1000--uefa-announces-new-format-for-club-competitions-to-be-introd/) Clubs finishing 25th or lower were eliminated.[3](https://it.uefa.com/news-media/news/0268-1213f7aa85bb-d56154ff8fe8-1000--uefa-announces-new-format-for-club-competitions-to-be-introd/)
The eight seeded clubs, in alphabetical order, were Athletic Club, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lazio, Lyon, Manchester United, Olympiacos, Rangers, and [Tottenham](https://www.edgepedia.org/tottenham), who had finished 4th in the league phase.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/) • [7](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0295-1cf0ec0a866d-66d44dcc4421-1000--europa-league-meet-the-last-four/) The play-off winners, unseeded, were Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, Bodø/Glimt, FCSB, Fenerbahçe, Real Sociedad, Roma, and Viktoria Plzeň.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/)
## Knockout phase play-offs
The play-off draw took place in Nyon on 31 January 2025, with the first legs on 13 February and the second legs on 20 February 2025.[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddvocBu-5Us) • [9](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0290-1bbed698826a-30134da51557-1000--europa-league-all-the-202425-fixtures-and-results/) Second-leg results: Roma 3–2 Porto (aggregate 4–3), Bodø/Glimt 5–2 Twente after extra time (6–4), FCSB 2–0 PAOK (4–1), Galatasaray 2–2 [AZ Alkmaar](https://www.edgepedia.org/az-alkmaar) (3–6), Ajax 1–2 Union SG after extra time (3–2), Viktoria Plzeň 3–0 Ferencváros (3–1), [Real Sociedad](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-sociedad) 5–2 Midtjylland (7–3), and [Anderlecht](https://www.edgepedia.org/anderlecht) 2–2 Fenerbahçe (2–5).[9](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0290-1bbed698826a-30134da51557-1000--europa-league-all-the-202425-fixtures-and-results/)
**Notable play-off storylines.** In the Porto–Roma tie, Porto coach Martín Anselmi set his side up in a 3-4-3 against Roma's 3-5-2 in a 1–1 first leg, with Roma advancing after a 3–2 second-leg win.[10](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0e91717d28-5d9a3407e4ea-1000--uefa-europa-league-tactical-analysis-porto-and-roma-s-game-o/) • [9](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0290-1bbed698826a-30134da51557-1000--europa-league-all-the-202425-fixtures-and-results/) In the Ajax–Union SG decider, Union SG scored twice through [Kevin Mac Allister](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-mac-allister) and [Promise David](https://www.edgepedia.org/promise-david) to level the tie after Ajax had been reduced to ten men from the 25th minute following [Davy Klaassen](https://www.edgepedia.org/davy-klaassen)'s goal-line handball and penalty, and progressed on aggregate after extra time.[11](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d1c8b9863d1-cc3711897b01-1000--uefa-europa-league-tactical-analysis-how-union-sg-pushed/) PAOK's presence in the play-offs itself reflected the league phase's unpredictability: the Greek side qualified despite claiming only one point from their first four matches.[12](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/02a1-1fcb1ef35df9-e69c325893be-1000/20260113_enclosure_03_annual_report_2024-25_en.pdf)
## Bracket and draws
The round of 16, quarter-final, and semi-final draw took place on Friday 21 February 2025 at the House of European Football in Nyon. Clubs were paired by league-phase position to form four seeded pairs (positions 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 and 6, and 7 and 8), and each seeded team was allocated a reserved spot on one side of a fixed bracket, silver or orange, with the play-off winners drawn against them. Because the bracket was fixed from the round of 16 onward, no draw was made for the final; the winners of the silver-side semi-final were designated the nominal home team.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/) Clubs from the same national association, and clubs that had met in the league phase, could be drawn against each other.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/)
## Round of 16
First legs were played on 6 March and second legs on 13 March 2025.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/) The results: Athletic Club beat Roma 3–1 in the second leg to advance 4–3 on aggregate; [Eintracht Frankfurt](https://www.edgepedia.org/eintracht-frankfurt) beat Ajax 4–1 (6–2); Lazio drew 1–1 with Viktoria Plzeň (3–2); Olympiacos lost 2–1 at home to Bodø/Glimt (2–4); Lyon beat FCSB 4–0 (7–1); Manchester United beat Real Sociedad 4–1 (5–2); Rangers drew 0–2 on the night with Fenerbahçe and advanced 3–2 on penalties after a 3–3 aggregate; and Tottenham beat AZ Alkmaar 3–1 (3–2) after losing the first leg 1–0.[9](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0290-1bbed698826a-30134da51557-1000--europa-league-all-the-202425-fixtures-and-results/)
## Quarter-finals
The quarter-finals were played on 10 and 17 April 2025.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/) Tottenham eliminated Eintracht Frankfurt 2–1 on aggregate after a 1–1 first leg; Bodø/Glimt beat Lazio on penalties, 3–2, after a 3–3 aggregate following a 2–0 first-leg win; Athletic Club beat Rangers 2–0 on aggregate; and Manchester United beat Lyon 7–6 on aggregate after a 2–2 first leg and a 5–4 extra-time second-leg win at [Old Trafford](https://www.edgepedia.org/old-trafford), a record 9-goal match for the competition.[9](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0290-1bbed698826a-30134da51557-1000--europa-league-all-the-202425-fixtures-and-results/) • [5](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dd01809ebd8-45f6dce2db5c-1000--2024-25-europa-league-season-by-numbers/)
## Semi-finals
The semi-finals were played on 1 and 8 May 2025.[4](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/) Tottenham won 3–1 at home against Bodø/Glimt and 2–0 away, advancing 5–1 on aggregate, while Manchester United beat Athletic Club 3–0 away and 4–1 at home, 7–1 on aggregate.[9](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0290-1bbed698826a-30134da51557-1000--europa-league-all-the-202425-fixtures-and-results/)
## Final
The final was played on Wednesday 21 May 2025 at San Mamés, Bilbao. [Brennan Johnson](https://www.edgepedia.org/brennan-johnson) bundled in the only goal of a tense match as Tottenham won 1–0, ending a 17-year wait for silverware and claiming the club's third UEFA Cup/Europa League title, 41 years after its second, together with a place in the league phase of the next season's Champions League.[2](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dcffd82d4a0-c280ee5f9c62-1000/) It was a second consecutive Europa League final defeat for Manchester United.[13](https://as.com/futbol/uefa/el-tottenham-se-corona-en-san-mames-n/)
## What the first knockout phase under the new format showed
The season's numbers point to a more balanced competition. Points per match for the lowest-seeded Pot 4 teams rose 25 percent, from 1.06 in the previous cycle (2021–2024) to 1.33, and Athletic Club, despite being in Pot 4 for the draw, were the first team to secure a knockout-phase place.[14](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dcae9fa6352-496ac5c2fcaa-1000--why-the-new-europa-league-format-is-here-to-stay/) • [5](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dd01809ebd8-45f6dce2db5c-1000--2024-25-europa-league-season-by-numbers/)
## References
1. [2024/25 UEFA Europa League: Matches, final, key dates, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0287-1964b9cd3ccd-cabff8757752-1000--2024-25-uefa-europa-league-matches-final-key-dates/)
2. [Tottenham 1-0 Manchester United: Spurs win 2025 Europa League, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dcffd82d4a0-c280ee5f9c62-1000/)
3. [UEFA announces new format for club competitions to be introduced as of 2024/25 season, UEFA.com](https://it.uefa.com/news-media/news/0268-1213f7aa85bb-d56154ff8fe8-1000--uefa-announces-new-format-for-club-competitions-to-be-introd/)
4. [UEFA Europa League round of 16, quarter-final and semi-final draw, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0c26a767aa-02a530468611-1000--uefa-europa-league-round-of-16-quarter-final-and-semi-fina/)
5. [2024/25 Europa League season by numbers, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dd01809ebd8-45f6dce2db5c-1000--2024-25-europa-league-season-by-numbers/)
6. [Season 2024/25 Stats, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/history/seasons/2025/statistics/)
7. [Tottenham win the 2024/25 UEFA Europa League: Meet the champions, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0295-1cf0ec0a866d-66d44dcc4421-1000--europa-league-meet-the-last-four/)
8. [EUROPA LEAGUE Knockout Phase Play-Off Draw, UEFA on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddvocBu-5Us)
9. [Europa League: All the 2024/25 results, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0290-1bbed698826a-30134da51557-1000--europa-league-all-the-202425-fixtures-and-results/)
10. [UEFA Europa League Tactical Analysis: Porto and Roma's game of cat and mouse, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d0e91717d28-5d9a3407e4ea-1000--uefa-europa-league-tactical-analysis-porto-and-roma-s-game-o/)
11. [UEFA Europa League Tactical Analysis: How Union SG pushed Ajax to their limit, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0296-1d1c8b9863d1-cc3711897b01-1000--uefa-europa-league-tactical-analysis-how-union-sg-pushed/)
12. [UEFA Annual Report 2024/25](https://editorial.uefa.com/resources/02a1-1fcb1ef35df9-e69c325893be-1000/20260113_enclosure_03_annual_report_2024-25_en.pdf)
13. [Debacle y éxtasis en San Mamés, AS](https://as.com/futbol/uefa/el-tottenham-se-corona-en-san-mames-n/)
14. [Why the new Europa League format is here to stay, UEFA.com](https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuropaleague/news/0299-1dcae9fa6352-496ac5c2fcaa-1000--why-the-new-europa-league-format-is-here-to-stay/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football competitions and records › Seasons and editions › Season indexes, outcomes, and transfer lists*
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