Europa League 2017: Round of 32 Leg 1 Live Stream, TV Schedule and Predictions
The march towards the UEFA Europa League final begins on Thursday, as the 32 teams still involved in the competition begin the knockout bracket.
Remaining in the lineup are some huge names, including a star-studded Manchester United side, who will face AS Saint-Etienne. The quality has been hauled up too, as eight teams from the UEFA Champions League that failed to progress from the group stage drop into European football's second-tier competition.
Tottenham Hotspur are one of those and will have to overcome KAA Gent to make it into the last 16. AS Roma are another, and they will face Villarreal in what is arguably the tie of the round.
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Here are the first-leg matches in full, a prediction for each fixture and closer look at a couple of the most eye-catching encounters.
| 4 p.m. | Krasnodar vs. Fenerbahce | 1-1 |
| 6 p.m. | Alkmaar vs. Lyon | 1-2 |
| 6 p.m. | Borussia Monchengladbach vs. Fiorentina | 2-1 |
| 6 p.m. | Astra Giurgiu vs. Genk | 1-1 |
| 6 p.m. | FC Rostov vs. Sparta Prague | 1-0 |
| 6 p.m. | Ludogorets vs. FC Copenhagen | 1-1 |
| 6 p.m. | Celta Vigo vs. Shakhtar Donetsk | 2-2 |
| 6 p.m. | Gent vs. Tottenham Hotspur | 1-3 |
| 6 p.m. | Olympiakos vs. Osmanlispor | 2-0 |
| 8:05 p.m. | Anderlecht vs. Zenit St Petersburg | 1-2 |
| 8:05 p.m. | Villarreal vs. Roma | 1-0 |
| 8:05 p.m. | PAOK vs. Schalke | 0-2 |
| 8:05 p.m. | Manchester United vs. Saint-Etienne | 2-0 |
| 8:05 p.m. | Athletic Bilbao vs. APOEL Nicosia | 3-0 |
| 8:05 p.m. | Hapoel Be'er Sheva vs. Besiktas | 2-1 |
| 8:05 p.m. | Legia Warsaw vs. Ajax | 1-1 |
Matches can be streamed via BT Sport (U.K.) and FOX Soccer 2GO (U.S.)
Manchester United vs. AS Saint-Etienne
Although United are a club synonymous with challenging for the biggest honours in the game, manager Jose Mourinho will be desperate to see his club win any kind of silverware during his debut term in charge.
The Europa League can not only provide that, but also a backdoor route into the Champions League for next season. With the Red Devils sitting in sixth in the Premier League, it may be their best chance of ensuring they are involved in Europe's elite competition next season.
A trophy is a trophy, too, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic is hungry for this team to win as many pieces of silverware as possible:
With so many matches to come over the next few weeks, it will be intriguing to see what type of team the Red Devils field for this one.
In the attacking third, there are a lot of choices for Mourinho to make. After playing a starring role in the 2-0 win over Watford in the Premier League on Saturday, Anthony Martial has made his case to be involved on a more regular basis.
Sports journalist Liam Canning wants to see the Frenchman, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Juan Mata on the field together as much as possible:
Saint-Etienne will be testing opposition and have won four of their last five matches in Ligue 1. However, United will be expected to to assert themselves on the contest in front of their own supporters and build a strong advantage for the second leg at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-0 Saint-Etienne
Villarreal vs. AS Roma
Of all the ties in the last 32 in the Europa League, the clash between Villarreal and Roma looks the most like a potential Champions League tussle.
After all, Villarreal are having an impressive season in La Liga. Fran Escriba's men are in sixth place and have proved extremely difficult to beat this season, losing just four of their 22 matches.
Per OptaJose, that is, in part, due to the standards being set by the best defence in the club's history:
There will be a hunger in their squad after being eliminated at the semi-final stage last season. Villarreal were nowhere near their best over two legs against Liverpool and given the cohesion they have showcased for much of the campaign, they'll be confident of putting together a similar, if not better, run.
But Roma are purring under head coach Luciano Spalletti. While they will most likely come up just short in the race for the Serie A title this season—Juventus are look too strong once again—they've played some intuitive and attractive football in 2016-17.
It will also be intriguing to see how Villarreal's defensive robustness copes with the attacking talent of the Giallorossi. Spalletti has so much variety to call upon in the final third, and in Edin Dzeko, he has a forward who is enjoying a tremendous renaissance in his career, per Squawka Football:
Roma have been adventurous in the overwhelming majority of matches this season and will approach this match at the Estadio de la Ceramica in pursuit of an away goal.
However, Villarreal will keep this game tight, seek to nullify the Serie A side's attacking flair and won't give their opponents any space to break into. As a result, the La Liga outfit will ensure the tie is alive when they visit the Stadio Olimpico.
Prediction: Villarreal 1-0 Roma
