Europa League games underway as teams honor PAOK fans who died in crashBy Canadian Press on January 29, 2026. BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Six direct places in the Europa League round of 16 are up for grabs and 11 teams remain in contention for the five last spots in the knockout stage in the final round of the opening phase on Thursday. Like in the Champions League, all 36 teams play in the last 18 games that kick off simultaneously, and the top eight finishers advance automatically after eight rounds. Lyon hosts PAOK while Villa meets Salzburg at home. PAOK fans honoredThe seven PAOK fans who died in a minibus crash in Romania this week on their way to attend a game between Lyon and their club were honored at stadiums in France and Greece.