Europa League & Conference League stats and stories: Bruno Fernandes makes history and Rangers survive shootout | OneFootball

The Uefa Europa League and Conference League rounds of 16 concluded on Thursday night, with sides across both competitions taking another step on the road to potential continental glory.

The Europa League had three British teams in action, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers aiming to reach the quarter-finals increase their chances of silverware and Champions League qualification. Meanwhile, in the Conference League, Chelsea had work to do to see out their 2-1 first-leg advantage over Danish giants FC Copenhagen.

There was plenty of drama and action across both competitions, so read on to see the stats and stories you might have missed:

1. Bruno ‘Penandes’ makes history as Man Utd reach QFs

Manchester United had one of the toughest tasks of the round as they took on Spanish side Real Sociedad, but they returned to Old Trafford following a 1-1 draw in the Basque Country last week.

There were clearly nerves early on as Matthijs de Ligt was adjudged — with the help of VAR — to have brought down Mikel Oyarzabal inside the box after just seven minutes, with the Spain international converting the subsequent penalty.

But United responded brilliantly, levelling just six minutes through a penalty of their own from Bruno Fernandes. That was the Portuguese’ ninth successful spot-kick in the Europa League, setting a competition record. Fernandes went on to extend that record just five minutes after half-time as he once again beat Alex Remiro from the spot.

Both sides created chances from there in a topsy-turvy encounter, with United only able to establish true dominance when Jon Aramburu was sent off for denying Joshua Zirkzee a clear goalscoring opportunity just 10 minutes after coming on. That effectively opened the door for Fernandes to complete his hat-trick and Diogo Dalot to score in the final moments, too, as United picked off a tired, ragged Sociedad outfit desperately searching for a goal.

The scoreline perhaps flatters them a little, but United are through and, thus, still in with a chance of a trophy and a Champions League ticket.

2. Spurs survive AZ scare

Like Man Utd, Tottenham’s entire season was on this game. In fact, it was an even bigger game for the Lilywhites given the beleaguered position manager Ange Postecoglou finds himself in. Lose here and it was likely curtains for the Australian in North London.

Spurs initially looked like making light work of overcoming a 1-0 deficit from the first leg, equalising through Wilson Odobert in the 27th minute and taking the lead just after half-time through James Maddison. The former means Spurs are the first-ever side in major European competition history to have five players under the age of 21 score a goal in the same season.

But then AZ hit back just after the hour mark, with Peer Koopmeiners benefiting from a mix-up between Odobert and Lucas Bergvall inside the Spurs box. All of a sudden, bums were shifting nervously in seats at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Thankfully, those nerves were short-lived as Odobert made amends for his mistake 11 minutes later, restoring Tottenham’s aggregate lead. This time, they held onto it.

Postecoglou survives for now.

3. Flat Chelsea do enough

Chelsea really had to scrap for a 2-1 aggregate advantage in Denmark last week, taking until the 46th minute to open the scoring through Reece James before Enzo Fernandez made it two on 65. Even then, a goal from Brazilian defender Gabriel Pereira gave FC Copenhagen hope for the return leg in London.

Stamford Bridge wasn’t exactly a cauldron for this last-16 tie. In fact, the Chelsea faithful quickly grew restless as their side struggled to break down Copenhagen, who carried a substantial threat of their own, outshooting the Blues 4-0 in the opening 45 minutes.

Enzo Maresca rang the changes at half-time by introducing Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer and it quickly paid off, with Chelsea looking far more fluent and taking the lead on the night on 55 minutes thanks to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

Chelsea saw the game out from there and while this was hardly an inspiring showing, Maresca’s men remain huge favourites to lift the Conference League.

4. Rangers survive shootout to reach UEL quarter-finals

Rangers were in dreamland last week when they fired themselves into a 3-1 lead in Istanbul against Fenerbahce. However, upon their return to Ibrox, the Glasgow giants struggled, conceding to Sebastian Szymanski in the 45th and 73rd minutes to go to extra-time. Those strikes came after Rangers had passed up a number of quality chances in the first half, conspiring to be the only Europa League tie of the night to go to extra time — and one of only two in both competitions combined — when a routine victory should have been certain.

Neither side could find a further breakthrough in the next 30 minutes, meaning that a dreaded penalty shootout followed.

Every shootout needs heroes and villains and in this one, Jack Butland took the glory to deny Dusan Tadic and Fred, while Mert Hakan Yandas blazed over the bar. James Tavernier, Vaclav Cerny and Tom Lawrence all scored for Rangers, meaning Ianis Hagi’s miss cost nothing.

Rangers are in the quarter-finals of the Europa League for the second time in four years and the last time they got there, they went all the way to the final.

5. All Europa League and Conference League results

Europa League

Conference League

6. Europa League and Conference League quarter-final fixtures

First legs to be played Thursday, April 10th, with the second legs to follow on Thursday, April 17th.

Europa League

Conference League

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