Thursday’s final matchday of the group stage saw all four Ligue 1 sides move on to the knockout stages, although not without some heartbreak. Here’s our recap of all the action.
Europa League
Stade Rennais F.C. - Villarreal CF
In a tense battle for top spot in Group F in the Europa League, Stade Rennais FC clashed with Villarreal at Roazhon Park. Villarreal took the lead with a 36th-minute penalty, but Rennes swiftly equalized through Lorenz Assignon's fantastic goal. The game swung back and forth as Villarreal went 2-1 up in the 62nd minute, only for Ludovic Blas to level the score again at 2-2 in the 79th minute before Dani Parejo put Villarreal ahead for good 3-2.
We had drama in added time when Rennes appeared to score a goal that would have given them the group's top spot. However, the referee disallowed the goal because Rennes player Le Fée took a free kick, hit the woodwork and the rebound fell back to him, leaving Rennes in second place. They'll now face a third-placed Champions League team in the Europa League knockout phase, missing out on a chance to avoid a tougher draw despite a hard-fought 2-3 defeat against Villarreal.
Stade Rennais’ possible opponents: Galatasaray, Braga, Benfica, Feyenoord, AC Milan, Young Boys, Shakhtar Donetsk.
LASK - Toulouse FC
Toulouse FC secured a 2-1 away victory against LASK in an intense clash. Thijs Dallinga opened the scoring for Toulouse in the 54th minute, assisted by César Gelabert. LASK equalized in the 61st minute, but Toulouse clinched the win with a stunning Gabriel Suazo goal in the 83rd minute, assisted by Aron Dønnum.
Despite finishing second in the group behind Liverpool, Toulouse advances to the Europa League knockout phase. They'll now face a third-placed Champions League team, filled with confidence from their impressive group stage performances, highlighted by a memorable win over the Reds at home.
Toulouse’s possible opponents: Galatasaray, Braga, Benfica, Feyenoord, Milan, Young Boys, Shakhtar Donetsk.
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. - Olympique de Marseille
In a high-stakes Europa League Group B match, Brighton defeated Olympique de Marseille in an encounter that determined top spot in the group. The tension was palpable as both teams wanted the result, but it was Brighton who clinched a crucial win with the only goal scored by João Pedro.
The match marked Marseille's first defeat of the season in the UEFA Europa League, and continued their struggle against English opponents in European competitions continue, extending a winless streak of 12 encounters since their triumph over Chelsea with a 1-0 victory back in December 2010 in the UEFA Champions League.
As a consequence of finishing second in the group standings, Marseille now face a tough challenge, and will play a third-placed team from the Champions League in the next stage of the tournament.
Marseille’s possible opponents: Galatasaray, Braga, Benfica, Feyenoord, Milan, Young Boys, Shakhtar Donetsk.
Let's also mention the Conference League.
LOSC Lille - KÍ Klaksvik
Lille OSC closed out the group stage with a commanding 3-0 victory over KÍ Klaksvík in a crucial UEFA Conference League clash, securing top spot in Group A and a direct entry into the round of 16.
All three goals for Lille came from penalties: Yusuf Yazıcı netted the first in the 29th minute, followed by Angel Gomes' confident strike in the 86th minute. Edon Zhegrova sealed the win with a 96th-minute penalty, solidifying Lille's dominance.
