Who can join Aston Villa in Europa League last 16?

One round of matches remain in the Europa League’s league phase, with the four British clubs having mixed fortunes.

Nottingham Forest is in the play-offs, while Aston Villa are already in the last 16, and Rangers are only proud to play for pride.

With a 1-0 victory away against Fenerbahce on Thursday, Villa placed first in the last 16. Unai Emery’s side now has 18 points from seven games, which means the Spaniard can start the players for RB Salzburg’s home game on Thursday.

“We have placed in the top eight, and this is the most important thing we have ever done,” said Emery.

Lyon, a French side with 18 points, are top of the league thanks to four goals on the score differential, beating Villa, who is second.

In February’s two-legged knockout play-off games, teams from ninth through 24th will compete against one another, with one or more British teams expected.

In Portugal, Forest was defeated 1-0 by Braga, which almost confirms Sean Dyche’s side’s place in the play-offs.

Forest, who is 16th, mathematically, can still finish eighth, but would need to defeat Hungary’s Ferencvaros and hope the eight teams that are ahead of them have all lost points.

The teams coming in ninth to sixteenth will play at home for the second leg of their knockout play-off games next Thursday, but Forest will still be anxious to win.

Before the Italians fought back to earn a 2-2 draw against Bologna, Celtic were 2-0 up after 10 men. The point, however, leaves Martin O’Neill’s team in the final play-off spot with eight points and a place in 24th place.

If they defeat Dutch side Utrecht at home, they will be guaranteed a top-24 spot, but they are also likely to lose.

From that perspective, O’Neill expressed his delight that we have given ourselves a chance of qualifying.

Rangers won their first league game 1-0 over Ludogorets in a match that ended in a draw for the club, but they are still in the standings despite only collecting one point in their first six games.

Danny Rohl’s team are 31st, and they will face a Porto side who wants to finish in the top eight.

Along with Sturm Graz, Nice, Utrecht, Malmo, and Maccabi Tel Aviv, Rangers is one of six teams that cannot compete in the playoffs.

The table’s current position is indicated by the bracketed positions on the side.