Matchday 5 of the UEFA Europa League delivered a thrilling night of drama, striking performances and high stakes. Across 18 games, teams fought for qualification, momentum, and pride.
From ruthless demolitions to gritty comebacks, from chaotic atmospheres to late-game tension — this round had it all.
Lyon 6–0 Maccabi Tel Aviv — A Brutal Blowout
Olympique Lyonnais were simply ruthless, dismantling Maccabi Tel Aviv 6–0 in dominant fashion.
- Corentin Tolisso stole the show with a hat-trick.
- Goals from Abner Vinícius, Moussa Niakhaté and Adam Karabec completed the demolition.
- Maccabi ended with a sending-off in added time, underlining a disastrous evening.
Lyon now sit at the top of their group with 12 points, heading into the final matchday with maximum confidence and momentum.
AS Roma 2–1 Midtjylland — Early Shock, Late Relief
At the Stadio Olimpico, AS Roma overcame a nervy start to defeat FC Midtjylland 2–1 — reclaiming control of their Europa League journey.
Key Moments
- 7′ — Neil El Aynaoui struck early, volleying home a cross from Zeki Çelik to give Roma the lead.
- For much of the match, Midtjylland held firm, frustrating the hosts with disciplined defending.
- 83′ — Stephan El Shaarawy restored the cushion with a clinical finish following a swift Roma counterattack led by a returning Leon Bailey.
- 86′ — Paulinho pulled one back for Midtjylland, setting up a tense finale. But Roma held on.
Roma’s resilience under pressure — and ability to strike when chances came — delivered the three points. The win disrupted Midtjylland’s perfect group record and reshapes the balance at the top.
Nottingham Forest 3–0 Malmö — Solid, Controlled, Convincing
Nottingham Forest reasserted their European credentials with a composed 3–0 win over Malmö FF.
- Ryan Yates opened the scoring, finishing after a scramble in the box.
- Arnaud Kalimuendo added a second just before halftime, capitalizing on a rebound.
- Nikola Milenković sealed the win with a powerful header from a corner.
Forest controlled the match from start to finish, demonstrating discipline at the back and efficiency going forward.
Aston Villa 2–1 Young Boys — Victory, Chaos and Controversy
Aston Villa secured a hard-fought 2–1 win over BSC Young Boys — but the night was marred by crowd trouble.
- Donyell Malen scored both Villa goals — an early header and a second just before halftime.
- Celebrations were disrupted when Malen was struck by an object thrown from the away fans’ section; the match was briefly suspended.
- Young Boys pulled one back in the 90th minute, but Villa held on for a valuable win.
Despite the unsettling atmosphere, Villa’s composure after the restart proved decisive. The result sees them join Lyon on 12 points, tightening the group’s top-half race.
Celtic 3–1 Feyenoord — An Away Masterclass
Celtic FC delivered one of the most impressive away performances of the night, bouncing back from an early deficit to beat Feyenoord 3–1 in Rotterdam.
- Ayase Ueda gave Feyenoord the lead early.
- Yang Hyun‑jun equalized before halftime with a composed finish.
- Reo Hatate gave Celtic the lead just before the break.
- Benjamin Nygren sealed the win with a late goal on the counterattack.
Celtic’s character and execution under pressure earned them a big boost in their group qualification hopes.
Other Notable Results From Across Europe
- Porto 3–0 Nice — Porto delivered a dominant home performance, comfortably dispatching Nice.
- Lille 4–0 Dinamo Zagreb — A commanding win for Lille, keeping their European challenge alive.
- Stuttgart 4–0 Go Ahead Eagles — A strong away win for Stuttgart, boosting their qualification chances.
- Genk 2–1 Basel — A late winner keeps Genk in the mix in their group.
- Bologna 4–1 RB Salzburg — A surprising attacking display from Bologna puts Salzburg under pressure.
- Fenerbahçe 1–1 Ferencváros,
- PAOK 1–1 Brann,
- Viktoria Plzeň 0–0 Freiburg — Mixed results: draws and stalemates that leave several groups finely balanced.
Results and standings across all groups are now closer than ever — setting up a dramatic final matchday.
Group Picture After Matchday 5 —
The Tightening Grip
- Lyon, Aston Villa, and Midtjylland now lead or sit neck-and-neck at the top with 12 points each.
- Roma, having won this round, remain in contention.
- Celtic, Porto, Genk, Lille, Stuttgart, and Nottingham Forest all stay alive — a strong cluster making this campaign unpredictable.
- Teams like RB Salzburg and Malmö see their European hopes dimming as the final matchday approaches.
With everything still to play for, the final set of games promises high drama.
What Matchday 5 Taught Us
- Lyon’s ruthless efficiency — combined with clinical finishing — shows they’re serious contenders.
- Roma’s resilience under pressure underlined their mental strength and ability to bounce back.
- Nottingham Forest’s blend of defensive solidity and attacking sharpness makes them a dark horse.
- Celtic’s composure and tactical discipline away from home demonstrate why they can’t be underestimated.
- Aston Villa’s win came at a cost — the crowd trouble may haunt them beyond just this match.
Europa League 2025/26 is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable editions in recent memory.