The UEFA Europa League’s league phase is over, and the top 24 teams are listed. As we know, the top 8 teams get to play the round of 16. Meanwhile, the next 16 teams are playing in a two-legged qualifier. Out of 16 teams, only 8 will clash with the top eight, from where the knockout phase kicks off.
Since the first leg was completed last week, the second leg is scheduled for Thursday this week. The upcoming list of games is expected to be dramatic, as they could turn the tables.
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UEFA Europa League Playoff Qualifiers Leg 2 of 2
Crvena Zvezda vs LOSC
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Rajko Mitic Stadium
Viktoria Plezn vs Panathinaikos
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Doosan Arena
Ferencvaros vs Ludogorets
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
Venue: Groupama Arena
VfB Stuttgart vs Celtic
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 12:45 p.m. ET
Venue: MHP Arena
Celta Vigo vs PAOK
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 03:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Estadio de Balaídos
Genk vs Dinamo Zagreb
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 03:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Cegeka Arena
Nottm Forest vs Fenerbahce
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 03:00 p.m. ET
Venue: City Ground
Bologna vs Brann
Date: 26 February 2026
Time: 03:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Renato Dall’Ara Stadium
UEFA Europa League Playoff Qualifier Leg 2 – Selected Matches Preview
The first leg of the UEFA Europa League Qualifiers has successfully ignited the rivalries among playoff qualifier teams.
The pursuit of the Round of 16 is so intense that every team is firmly determined to win somehow. Yet, there could be only one winner for each clash, making the upcoming games more serious.
So, there are lots of nail-biting moments awaiting you on leg 2. Let’s look at a brief preview of a few games.
Crvena Zvezda vs LOSC Prediction
Crvena Zvezda is clashing against the Ligue 1 star, LOSC, making way for an electrifying matchup. The Serbian side is bringing a strong domestic league form to this game. Their ability to keep teams out for a clean sheet is still active, as they kept LOSC goalless previously. In Leg 1, Crvena Zvezda’s form was too dominant in terms of possession, where LOSC struggled to control the ball. Although fewer chances were available, Zvezda capitalized on them and scored the decisive goal. However, they still carry the risk of losing over aggregate. So, their defense will be sharp in the next game.
LOSC has a place in the top-five rankings and has a good team quality that has coordination and rhythm. But they struggled to find the net in their last game against Crvena Zvezda. This is a huge setback for them, which has already set a goal deficit to overcome in the second leg. Although this gives an edge to Zvezda, LOSC still has chances to overcome. But their ball control is not supportive of this. Hence, LOSC’s chances are low against Zvezda.
The Pick: Crvena Zveda.
VfB Stuttgart vs Celtic Prediction
VfB Stuttgart welcomes Celtic to the MHP Arena for the second leg of the playoff, making for a great showdown.
VfB Stuttgart has already set the bar so high in Leg 1 of the UEFA Europa League Playoff Qualifiers. They have kept Celtic to a single goal while scoring four times across both halves. Ironically, Celtic had most of the possession and passes. As they are already on a 3-goal lead, VfB Stuttgart will focus mainly on containing Celtic’s offense.
Celtic is under a 3-goal deficit, a challenging target to close within 90 minutes already. Additionally, the German side will continue to score, further making it difficult for the Scottish club to close the deficit. While this has been a primary concern, there is obviously no room for outscoring VfB Stuttgart. Therefore, Celtic will have a tough time facing VfB Stuttgart.
The Pick: VfB Stuttgart.
Genk vs Dinamo Zagreb Prediction
Genk missed the playoffs by a few goals and is now facing Dinamo Zagreb in the Qualifiers Leg 2.
Genk is having the time of its life, beating Dinamo Zagreb in the first leg. The Belgian club restricted Dinamo Zagreb to one goal and scored three times. But all their goals came from good chance-making. Besides quality shots, Genk never had dominant possession or strong coordination. However, the two-goal lead will allow them to breathe while still trying to outperform Dinamo Zagreb.
Dinamo Zagreb failed to execute the chances it had, mostly due to missed shots at the target. But they had good ball control and rhythm. Yet, the two-goal deficit is a considerable obstacle to overcome in the second leg. Playing on the road against Genk further makes it difficult for Dinamo Zagreb to beat Genk. As a result, Dinamo Zagreb will face difficulties in this Europa League clash.
The Pick: Genk.
Bologna vs Brann Predictions
The Serie A side, Bologna, aims to secure another win against Brann in the UEFA Europa League Qualifiers Leg 2.
Bologna won only because they executed the chances they got perfectly. They completely underwhelmed in terms of possession and ball control, where Brann’s dominance prevailed. So, it is still a strong task for Bologna to restrict Brann’s scoring before they equalize. However, Bologna has a strong exposure and a decent performance in Serie A, making them the favorite.
Brann had shown complete dominance in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Qualifiers. The only thing they failed to make is quality shots on target. Otherwise, Brann has good coordination and ball movement. In short, this game will be a close contest with a slight edge for Bologna.
The Pick: Bologna.