We have reached the business portion of the UEFA Conference League group phase. With two rounds left in the league phase, there is a lot up for grabs still.
Two clubs have already assured of a place in the top 24, with the remaining 24 teams all vying to join them in January’s draw. There is no room for error at this stage, as every point matters in the race to get past this round of the competition.
Here is The Deck’s preview of the 18 games taking place on matchday 5.
UEFA Conference League: Matchday 5
AEK Larnaca Puts Clean Sheet Streak on the Line
It is an elimination game in Iceland, where Breiðablik (2 points, 32nd place) plays host to Shamrock Rovers (1, 35th). It is the second time the sides have been paired together after the Irish outfit prevailed in both legs of a Champions League first qualifying round tie two years ago. Breiðablik has managed to draw both of their home matches in this season’s Conference League after losing all six games in their other appearance in 2023/24. Shamrock Rovers has had an even more disappointing run, grabbing just one point from four games. Both sides will be out if they cannot win this match.
High-flying Drita (8, 8th) takes on AZ Alkmaar (6, 20th) in an interesting clash. The Kosovar champions are just about into the knockout round, a first for any club from the league. They have come out on top in each of their last two games, where they sit in the top eight as things stand. Victory at home could even see them challenge for a direct place in the last 16. AZ, meanwhile, was beaten in both of their away games in the league phase thus far, stretching that streak to seven in a row in the UECL proper.
Loser of their last two, Fiorentina (6, 17th) hosts Dynamo Kyiv (3, 27th), who badly need to pick up three points. La Viola has never lost to a Ukrainian team in 12 European games (8-4-0), having beaten Polissia Zhytomyr home and away in qualifying. They are 3-3-0 against Dynamo as well. The defending Ukrainian champions have just one win to their credit in the Conference League so far. If they cannot at least earn a point in Florence, their maiden journey in the competition will be over this month.
In Sweden, BK Häcken (2, 31st) awaits their first win as they take on AEK Larnaca (8, 7th). The hosts come into this one off the back of two defeats, putting them behind they eight ball. A victory will be key in standing any chance at playing knockout round football for the very first time. AEK Larnaca, playing their first match against a Swedish club, is the only team not to have conceded in the league phase this term. This is despite conceding 13 in Europa League qualifying last summer. A result will ensure a second appearance in the UECL knockouts.
Jagiellonia Białystok (8, 9th) puts their unbeaten home record on the line against Rayo Vallecano (7, 12th). The Poles have never lost a home match in the Conference League at any stage 8-3-0). This is their third match versus a LaLiga club, having been eliminated by Real Betis in the quarterfinals last spring. Vallecano pulled off a comeback on matchday 3 to stun Lech Poznań, and will hope to work similar magic on the road this time around. The club from Madrid has failed to win either of their two away ties in the league phase.
Armenia’s Noah (5, 23rd) faces a tricky match against Legia Warszawa (3, 28th). Having just missed out on a knockout round spot last fall, Noah will be looking to succeed at the second time of asking. This is their first game against a Polish team. As for Legia, they sit on the outside looking in regarding a top 24 spot. They have lost their last two, and can ill afford another reverse. Quarterfinalists last term, they did manage to progress from the group phase in each of their other two showings.
Our choice for tie of the round is between debutants Samsunspor (10, 1st) and European regulars AEK Athens (7, 10th). The Turkish side, who finished third in their league last season, could not have asked for a better start to continental football. They are one of six teams unbeaten in this league phase, having won their first three. However, their only European loss did come to a Greek side, when Panathinaikos defeated them in the Europa League playoff round. AEK’s most recent clash with a Turkish club ended in heartbreak, as they were eliminated in the final round of UEL qualification at the hands of Trabzonspor. They are looking for consecutive away wins in the same European season for the first time since 2019/20.
Two teams still in the running for knockout round football, Shkëndija (4, 25th) and Slovan Bratislava (3, 29th) will do battle in Tetovo. The North Macedonian champions claimed a maiden group phase win for their country back on matchday 2. Having lost just once at home in Europe this season (4-1-1), Ballistët will fancy their chances to grab a second win and significantly increase their chances of knockout football. For Slovan, they had a poor start to the league phase with three defeats before a comeback win over Rayo Vallecano two weeks ago. That result gives them hope, though they need to end a 12-game winless run in European away games (0-4-8).
The last early kickoff sees CS Universitatea Craiova (7, 15th), face Sparta Praha (7, 11th). While a draw would send both clubs through, three points is the goal if either is to stand a chance at grabbing a top eight spot. CSU has never lost at home in Conference League play, having won six of the last eight. If they can grab another win, they will enjoy their best European run since making the 1982/83 UEFA Cup semifinals. Sparta has back-to-back clean sheets from their two games against Polish opposition. They are striving to make it three games in a row without conceding, something they also managed to do last term.
Mainz, Celje Look to Bounce Back
After consecutive draws, Aberdeen (2, 33rd) has arguably their toughest challenge yet, facing Strasbourg (10, 2nd). The Dons still can dream of making the Conference League knockout round, but will have to start with a victory at home. Their only victory in the UECL proper came in their other appearance two years back against Frankfurt. Strasbourg has enjoyed an unbeaten European season thus far, the one of two sides in the UECL that can still claim this. They have won three of four previous matches against Scottish clubs, the last one coming 28 year ago in the UEFA Cup versus Rangers.
Two weeks on from their greatest European result ever, Ħamrun Spartans (3, 30th) has Shakhtar Donetsk (9, 4th) as their last home game. The Maltese champions will be up against it, but also know that they need at least a point from this match to keep their hopes of making it past this stage, alive. Shakhtar bounced back from their matchday 2 loss with a pair of victories to all but secure a top 24 spot. A win on their travels, something they have already done twice in this league phase, will give them a strong chance of finishing in the top eight and enter the round of 16.
Hoping to make history for their nation, KuPS Kuopio (5, 22nd) takes on Lausanne-Sport (7, 13th). The back-to-back Finnish winners went unbeaten across the first half of the league phase before falling to Jagiellonia two weeks ago. That result has them requiring another two points minimum to go through. They are 4-1-1 at home in Europe this term, a positive run Keltamusta will hope to continue. As for Lausanne, they also suffered their first defeat last time out, losing to Lech Poznań. The Swiss club is in a better position than their opponents, with one more point certain to send them through.
Lech Poznań (6, 16th) looks to secure a knockout round place at home against Mainz (9, 5th). The defending Ekstraklasa champions have failed to earn a victory over Bundesliga opposition on four previous attempts (0-1-3). However, they have won both of their home games in the Conference League this fall, which will give them confidence to make it a perfect sweep. Mainz, who lost in Romania last time out, has conceded just twice in the UECL this term. In 11 away games in Europe all-time, Die Nullfünfer are 3-4-4.
Gibraltar’s Lincoln Red Imps (4, 26th) will be looking to pull off another stunning result as Sigma Olomouc (7, 14th) makes the trip to the Rock. So far, Lincoln stunned Lech back on matchday two, before grabbing a result against Rijeka in their home games in the UECL. They have two chances to grab a win that could very well secure a knockout round berth. Winners of their last two, Sigma is already in a good spot to move on, though a point will ensure their progression. Their last away match was a victory in Armenia against Noah, ending a run of three road defeats where they failed to score.
Raków Częstochowa (8, 6th) hosts Bosnia’s Zrinjski Mostar (6, 19th). The Poles have come out on top in four of their five home matches in the UECL this term, qualifying included. They are 7-2-1 this year in Europe altogether, and look set to play knockout football for the very first time. It has been a bumpy run for Zrinjski, who won both of their home ties, but lost their two away clashes. It will be their fifth meeting against a club from Poland, though they have yet to come out on top in any of the previous games (0-1-3).
Chasing a maiden appearance in a UEFA club competition knockout round, Rijeka (4, 24th) will play Celje (9, 3rd). The Croats have drawn their last two ties in the UECL, but will need another victory to enjoy a spot in the knockout playoffs. They are 2-2-1 at home in Europe this term, having kept four clean sheets. They face a Celje team who certainly be up for the task. The Slovenian club has impressed once more in the tournament, and with a fourth win in five, could even end up in the top eight. They have never met a Croatian club before Thursday’s clash.
It is last drink saloon for Shelbourne (1, 34th) in what is their biggest tie of the league phase against Crystal Palace (6, 18th). The Irish club is the only team left across the three league phases to have yet to find the back of the net. If that stays the case after Thursday’s contest, they will be out. Palace, on the other hand, has surprisingly lost twice in the competition thus far, resulting in their hopes of a top eight finish falling considerably. This is the closest of the away matches they have had by distance.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment in the league phase this fall, Rapid Wien (0, 36th) must win at home to Omonoia Nicosia (5, 21st) or they will be knocked out. The Austrians reached the quarterfinals last spring, only to now be one of two clubs without a point in a league phase this fall. They have also conceded 12 times in this group phase, the most of all 36 sides. Omonoia is a win away from making the knockout round for the second year in a row. They eliminated Wolfsberger in the playoff round on penalties to get to the league phase. They do have a losing record versus Austrian clubs though, at 4-1-6.