Europa Conference League Quarter-Finals: Match Previews

Strasbourg vs. Mainz

Strasbourg is set to take on Mainz in the quarter-finals of the Europa Conference League. Mainz secured their place by overcoming Sigma Olomouc, drawing 0-0 away in the Czech Republic and then winning 2-0 at home. Goals from Stefan Posch and Armindo Sieb sealed their victory, with Posch scoring shortly after halftime and Sieb adding the second late in the game. Strasbourg, who progressed by defeating Rijeka following a lengthy trip to Croatia, will visit Germany for the first leg on April 9 and host the second leg on April 16.

Crystal Palace’s Dramatic Passage

Crystal Palace advanced after a tightly contested return leg against AEK Larnaca, which ended 1-1 after regular time, mirroring the first leg. Ismaïla Sarr netted the decisive goal in extra time, capitalizing on a pass from Daichi Kamada. Palace will now face Fiorentina, who eliminated Rakow with a 2-1 victory.

Other Matches in the Quarter-Finals

In the same half of the draw as Strasbourg, AEK Athens will take on Rayo Vallecano. AEK Athens suffered a 2-0 defeat at home against Celje after previously winning 4-0 in Slovenia. Rayo Vallecano also faced challenges, losing the second leg against Samsunspor after a 3-1 victory in the first leg, finishing 1-0. The winner of this tie will meet either Strasbourg or Mainz for the chance to compete in the final.

Remaining Quarter-Final Matchups

The other quarter-final pairings include Alkmaar, who dominated Sparta Prague with a 2-1 first leg win followed by a convincing 4-0 victory in the second leg. They will face the Ukrainian team Chakhtior Donetsk, who had a mixed performance, winning 3-1 in their first leg but losing 1-2 in the return match.