The UEFA Europa League returned with Round of 16 first legs and a fresh Sofascore Team of the Week. A few names jumped off the page, and a couple of clubs showed real depth. We pulled out the key numbers, context and storylines you should know.
Front three with bite
Bernardeschi tops the attacking picks with an 8.5 Sofascore Rating, a calm head in a round that was not short on chaos. Endrick joins him on the left with an 8.0 after a strong night for Lyon, who also happen to sit first in the Europa League table with 21 points from the league phase. Joseph completes the trio on 8.2, giving this XI a direct outlet across the front.
That balance matters at this stage. One clinical creator, one rising star, and one channel runner is a handy recipe for away legs next week.
Midfield control and cleverness
Billing’s 8.4 for Midtjylland is the standout in the middle, a perfect snapshot of why the Danes keep punching above their weight. They finished the league phase third with 19 points, and the eye test plus Sofascore Rating says their midfield is a big reason why.
Kanichowsky and Manzambi both posted 8.0, the former knitting play and the latter adding legs between the lines. Three different profiles, one very modern midfield.
Back line built for knockout football
El Ouahdi was the best rated defender on 8.5 for Genk, who emerged ninth overall in the standings after eight games and keep finding difference makers in wide areas. Ghilardi earned 7.6 for Roma, who were eighth, while Sørensen matched that 7.6 as Midtjylland’s representative at center back. O’Dowda rounded out the unit with 7.5 on the left.
In goal, Ólafsson posted a 7.9 for Midtjylland, another green tick for a club that placed multiple players in this week’s XI. Solid hands, smart positioning, and one very useful springboard for the second legs.
Who dominated, and why it matters
Midtjylland led the way with three inclusions, a tidy snapshot of a side that was already third in the table and still looks organized in the knockout rhythm. Lyon’s presence through Endrick fits the bigger picture too, since they topped the league phase and continue to get match winners in big moments. Roma, Bologna, Genk and Freiburg each placed one key performer, exactly the kind of spread you expect when ties are still finely balanced.
You can dive into every touch, duel and shot map on Sofascore. The Sofascore Rating packages it cleanly, the events tab fills in the story, and the second legs will tell us who turns good nights into quarterfinal places.
