Europa League Preview: 10 Late Games, Big Names in Action

Ten Late Europa League Clashes to Watch

Thursday night brings a packed slate of European football, with ten late Europa League fixtures kicking off at 8pm, alongside eight Conference League games and a pair of League One matches. As reported by our live coverage, the headline acts include Benfica v Celtic, Celta Vigo v Juventus, and Marseille v Olympiacos, with several intriguing subplots across the continent.

At the Estádio da Luz, Celtic's preparations have been complicated by an unusual question mark over Camilo Duran. According to our source, the Colombian's availability hinges on whether his child has been born in time for him to travel to Lisbon. That is a genuine wait-and-see situation for the visitors, who will need to finalise their attacking plans late. For a full picture of how the group tables are shaping up, see our Premier League predictions and European coverage.

In Spain, Celta Vigo host Juventus for only the third time in their history. The source notes that both previous encounters ended in home wins — a curious statistical quirk that Celta will hope to extend, while Juventus aim to break the pattern. It is a fixture with little shared history but plenty of tactical intrigue, and our Serie A predictions page tracks the Italian side's form.

Elsewhere, Bournemouth welcome Sturm Graz with manager Marco Rose hoping his team recover from what the source describes as a “real slap” at the hands of Chelsea at the weekend. That heavy defeat will have stung, and a European night on the south coast offers an immediate chance to respond. The Cherries' response will be one of the more closely watched storylines of the evening.

Classic Names Renew Acquaintances

Two historic European clubs meet in Zagreb as Dinamo Zagreb host Anderlecht. The source points out that this is surprisingly only a fifth meeting between the sides, despite their combined pedigree. Anderlecht are former UEFA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup winners, while Dinamo were Fairs Cup winners and Cup Winners' Cup semi-finalists. For two clubs with such deep continental roots, the rarity of the fixture adds a layer of novelty.

Other late kick-offs include Ferencvaros v Plzen, Hoffenheim v Besiktas, Jagiellonia Bialystock v Ararat Armenia, and NEC v Levski Sofia, plus Rennes v OFI. Each carries its own qualification implications, and with ten games running simultaneously, the permutations across the league phase will shift rapidly through the night.

Early Kick-offs: Lyon v Crystal Palace and More

The action begins earlier at 5.45pm BST, with eight fixtures including Lyon v Crystal Palace, Red Bull Salzburg v Milan, and Lech Poznan v Bayer Leverkusen. Torreense v Sunderland also features in that early window, and our live blog noted that the Portuguese side took a shock lead against the English visitors. That developing story underlines how quickly these European nights can turn.

Also in the early slot: AZ v Hapoel Beer Sheva, CM Celje v Omonia Nicosia, Sparta Prague v Lillestrom, and Union Saint Gilloise v Real Sociedad. Later in the evening, Conference League fixtures include Atalanta v AE Pafos and Brann v Lincol.

For bettors and fans tracking the action, the sheer volume of matches means squad rotation and travel will be decisive. Celtic's late call on Duran is a reminder that team news can break minutes before kick-off. Keep an eye on our today's AI betting tips for data-driven angles across all of tonight's fixtures, and follow the latest football news as the evening unfolds.

What to Watch For

• Benfica v Celtic: Duran's late fitness/travel situation could reshape Celtic's attack.
• Celta Vigo v Juventus: History favours the home side, but only just — both prior meetings were home wins.
• Bournemouth v Sturm Graz: Marco Rose's side look to bounce back from a heavy weekend defeat.
• Dinamo Zagreb v Anderlecht: A rare meeting between two storied European names.

With ten late games and eight early ones, tonight's Europa League slate offers something for every neutral. Whether it is the novelty of Celta-Juventus, the tradition of Dinamo-Anderlecht, or the urgency for Bournemouth, the evening promises drama across the continent.