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Premier League outfits Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest return to Europa League duties on Thursday, while Celtic and Rangers are also hoping to climb into qualifying contention
Everything you need to know ahead of Matchday 5
- Current league leaders: The 2025/26 competition is currently led by Danish side Midtjylland, who sit at the summit of the 36-team table with a perfect 12 points from their first four matches. Under the new format, the top eight teams qualify directly for the Round of 16, while clubs finishing ninth through 24th must navigate a treacherous knockout play-off round.
- Matchday five overview: Thursday’s schedule features a full slate of 18 fixtures, marking a pivotal moment in the season as the competition crosses the halfway point. With the table taking shape, these matches are critical for establishing the seeding order, with British clubs Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Celtic and Rangers each facing decisive contests.
- Aston Villa vs Young Boys: Aston Villa, currently placed sixth with nine points, host Swiss side Young Boys at Villa Park with a clear opportunity to solidify their position within the top eight. A win would take the Villans a step closer to direct qualification, while Young Boys, languishing in 22nd, are fighting to stay above the elimination cut-off line.
- Nottingham Forest vs Malmo: Nottingham Forest, precariously placed in 23rd, face a must-win home fixture against Swedish strugglers Malmo to create breathing room between themselves and the elimination zone. Malmo have managed just one point so far and sit in 33rd place, meaning they need a shock result at the City Ground to keep their season alive.
- Rangers vs Braga: Bottom-of-the-table Rangers welcome high-flying Braga to Ibrox, knowing that another defeat could effectively end their European campaign after four consecutive losses. Braga, sitting comfortably in fifth place, will look to exploit the Scottish side’s poor form to strengthen their own bid for a top-eight finish.
- Feyenoord vs Celtic: Two former European champions clash in Rotterdam as Feyenoord (29th) and Celtic (27th) fight to break into the qualification places. Both teams are currently outside the top 24, making this a “six-pointer” where a loss could prove fatal to their hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
- Roma vs Midtjylland: League leaders Midtjylland travel to Rome looking to extend their winning streak and cement their status as favourites for automatic qualification. Conversely, Roma sit in a disappointing 18th place with six points and desperately need a victory to climb away from the danger zone and secure a safer play-off seeding.
- Real Betis vs Utrecht: Spanish side Real Betis will look to break into the automatic qualification spots when they host Utrecht, as they currently sit just on the cusp in ninth place. For Utrecht, who are stuck in 32nd place with only one point, this match represents one of their final chances to turn their season around and push towards the top 24.
- READ THE FULL STORY: For more information on Villa and Forest team news, read more here and here.
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