Aston Villa among three Premier League sides set for Europa and Conference League last-16 draws — what fans should prepare for

For supporters of aston villa and two other English top-flight clubs, Friday's draws change the immediate continental horizon: opponents will be confirmed and travel planning — real or imagined — begins. The Europa League draw starts at 12pm (ET) and the Conference League at 1pm (ET), with 16 teams remaining in each competition; three Premier League clubs are among them and each already has only two possible opponents.

Why this Friday matters for English clubs and their followers

Here’s the part that matters: the draw determines not just who each club faces but where the decisive second legs will be played for seeded sides. Seeded teams — identified as those that finished in the top eight in the league phase — will host the second leg of last-16 ties. For fans this affects travel, ticket demand and the tactical approach clubs are likely to take when the fixtures arrive.

Aston Villa: narrowed opponents and seeding implications

Aston Villa will face one of two teams already set as possibilities: Celta Vigo or Lille. Every club's potential opponent has been reduced to two options, so Aston Villa's immediate European path hinges on Friday's pairings. If readers are wondering why this keeps coming up: the draw also allows teams to be paired with clubs from the same country or teams they have already met earlier in the competition.

How the draws work, timing and schedule rollout

The Europa League draw takes place on Friday at 12pm (ET) and the Conference League draw follows at 1pm (ET). The round-of-16 match schedule will be published on Friday evening. The quarter-final match schedule will be confirmed on March 19, while the semi-final schedule will be communicated on April 16. Sides that did not require a play-off will be seeded, meaning they will play the second leg at home.

Other English matchups and the play-off results that shaped the field

Nottingham Forest will be drawn against either Real Betis or Midtjylland, while Crystal Palace will get Mainz or AEK Larnaca. With the midweek play-offs concluded, English teams know they will face one of two opponents but do not yet know their exact bracket paths until the draw is made. The earliest two English clubs could meet is in the Europa League quarter-finals between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. Crystal Palace do not have any potential English opponents in the Conference League.

Play-off outcomes that finalized these pairings included Celta Vigo beating PAOK 3-1 on aggregate after a 1-0 win in their play-off second leg, and Lille overcoming a first-leg defeat to win 2-0 at Red Star Belgrade. Ferencvaros overturned a one-goal first-leg deficit to win 2-0 at home and eliminate Ludogorets Razgrad, and despite losing 1-0 at home to Celtic, Stuttgart advanced 4-2 on aggregate.

What happens after the draw

If you're planning logistics or assessing chances, the immediate next confirmations are the round-of-16 dates (released Friday evening) and then the quarter-final and semi-final scheduling on March 19 and April 16 respectively. Follow live coverage of the draw on Friday on official live platforms and apps to see the full bracket as it unfolds.

• Every team has two potential opponents remaining; draws will decide exact matchups.
• Seeded clubs (finished top eight in the league phase) host the second leg of last-16 ties; sides that avoided play-offs are seeded.
• Aston Villa: Celta Vigo or Lille; Nottingham Forest: Real Betis or Midtjylland; Crystal Palace: Mainz or AEK Larnaca.
• Earliest possible England vs England encounter in these competitions is a Europa League quarter-final between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
• Round-of-16 schedule released Friday evening; quarter-final schedule confirmed March 19; semi-final schedule communicated April 16.

It’s easy to overlook, but the play-off reversals — Lille’s comeback, Celta Vigo’s clean sheet in a second leg and Ferencvaros overturning a deficit — reshaped who these Premier League clubs might meet. A small aside: seeded status has a double meaning in the current setup, tied both to league-phase finishing positions and to whether a side required a play-off.

The real question now is which brackets will place English clubs on a collision course and whether home second legs for seeded teams will prove decisive. Follow the draws at the stated times to see those paths confirmed.