The second leg of the UEFA Europa League and Europa Conference League knockout playoff takes centre stage tonight with 15 teams vieing for a place in the round of 16.
These fixtures are incomplete without African players and Afrosport takes a look eight players across the two competitions to keep an eye on.
Europa League
Amine Gouri (Algeria & Rennes) vs AC Milan
Gouri has been an important player for Rennes this season and has two goals to his name in the Europa League this season.
He came off the bench in the first leg against AC Milan but could not make any significant impact as Rennes lost the game 3-1.
His services will be needed tonight to try and reverse the deficit on home soil.
Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria & AC Milan) vs Rennes
Chukwueze was not involved in the first leg against Rennes as he had not yet returned from international duty at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations where Nigeria finished as runners-up.
The 24-year-old returned to action by playing the first 45 minutes of the weekend’s Serie A game with Monza. It however ended in a 4-2 loss and he will be hoping to get his first Europa League goal in the colours of Milan having previously scored twice while at Villarreal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Olympique Marseille) vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Aubameyang is the go-to player for goals in Europa League.
The Gabon international has six goals in as many games this season including the first leg against Shakhtar.
He will be relied on to deliver the goods once again and pull Marseille through to the round of 16.
Wilfred Zaha (Ivory Coast & Galatasaray) vs Sparta Prague
Zaha did not have much action in the first leg as he featured for only seven minutes in the 3-2 win.
The former Crystal Palace man’s influence cannot be underestimated as he has a hand in 14 competitive goals (10 goals, four assists) this season include one goal and assist uh in the Champions League.
His experience will therfore come in handy in consolidating Galatasaray’s 3-2 first leg lead.
Europe Conference League
Chuba Akpom (Nigeria & Ajax Amsterdam) vs Bodoe Glimt
The Anglo-Nigerian forward has been ever-present for Ajax this season with 10 competitive goals to his name, including three in the Europa League where they finished third in the group stage and dropped to the Europa Conference League.
Akpom played 62 minutes of the first leg against Bodoe/Glimt which ended 2-2 and will be counted upon to make a difference in the return leg.
Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Real Betis) vs Dinamo Zagreb
Bakambu was a January signing from Galatasaray but he has been unable to feature regularly for Betis as he was away on international duty at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with DR Congo.
He is now back from the tournament where the Leopards finished fourth and made his Betis debut at the weekend in a goalless draw with Alaves.
Bakambu is an experienced player in Europe with 16 career goals to his name. Such experience will be needed in helping Real Betis overturn their 1-0 first leg deficit against Dinamo Zagreb.
Chaibi Fares (Algeria & Eintracht Frankfurt) vs Union Saint-Gilloise
Fares was on the score sheet in the first leg which ended 2-2 and he will be relied on to shift the tie in Frankfurt’s favour.
The Algerian already has seven goal involvements in the Europa Conference League this season (two goals, five assists), making him a prime candidate to be part of the goal action in Belgium tonight.
Mohamed Amoura (Algeria & Union-Saint-Gilloise) vs Eintracht Frankfurt
The compatriot of Fares assisted Christian Burgess for the first goal that initiated Union-Saint-Gilloise’s comeback against Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg.
Amoura is a goal merchant with 17 goals in the Belgian Pro League and another two in the Europa League before USG dropped to the Europa Conference League.
There is therfore no better person to turn the tie around than the prolific 23-year-old.
