Recurring Encounters in European Football

An Early Case of Déjà Vu

While Groundhog Day is officially celebrated on Monday, February 2, two soccer teams are experiencing it prematurely due to their unexpected repeat matchups. The recent playoff draws for the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League have shocked fans with notable rematches, reminiscent of Phil Connors’ experiences in the classic film.

Champions League: A Familiar Face-Off

The most significant draw in the Champions League features Real Madrid going head-to-head once again with Benfica. These two squads just faced off in the group stage, where a thrilling last-minute header from Benfica’s keeper, Anatoliy Trubin, helped keep José Mourinho’s side in the tournament.

More Rematches in the Knockout Phase

Real Madrid and Benfica aren’t the only teams set to clash again in the knockout stages of European football.

Europa League: A Historic Matchup

In the Europa League playoff round, Bulgaria’s Ludogorets will take on Hungary’s Ferencváros for the fourth and fifth times this season. This upcoming matchup will mark a historic moment, as it’s the first time in European competition history that the same two teams have met five times in a single campaign. Statistically, teams have only clashed four times in 32 previous instances.

The series began in August when Ludogorets and Ferencváros met over two legs during the Champions League qualifiers. Their first encounter ended in a scoreless draw in Razgrad, Bulgaria, followed by a 3-0 victory for Ferencváros in Budapest.

Movement to the Europa League

Due to a loss to FK Qarabag in the qualifying round, Ferencváros transitioned to the Europa League. They had another opportunity to face Ludogorets in the group stage, where they took a home victory on November 6 with a score of 3-1.

Upcoming Match Details

Both teams, having concluded the league phase in midtable positions, were drawn together again on Friday for a playoff. The first leg is scheduled to take place on February 18/19 at Ludogorets, with the return leg on February 25/26 at Ferencváros.

The excitement lies in the knowledge that this fifth match will finally break the cycle for one of these teams, granting them progress to the round of 16 while the other exits the competition.