The knockout phase of the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League began on 14 February 2012 with the round of 32, and concluded on 9 May 2012 with the final at National Arena in Bucharest, Romania.

Times up to 24 March 2012 (round of 32 and round of 16) are CET (UTC+01:00), thereafter (quarter-finals and beyond) times are CEST (UTC+02:00).

Round and draw dates All draws held at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

RoundDraw date and timeFirst legSecond legRound of 3216 December 201116 February 201223 February 2012Round of 168 March 201215 March 2012Quarter-finals16 March 201229 March 20125 April 2012Semi-finals19 April 201226 April 2012Final9 May 2012 at Arena Națională, Bucharest

Matches may also be played on Tuesdays or Wednesdays instead of the regular Thursdays due to scheduling conflicts.

Format The knockout phase involves 32 teams: the 24 teams that finished in the top two in each group in the group stage and the eight teams that finished in third place in the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Each tie in the knockout phase, apart from the final, is played over two legs, with each team playing one leg at home. The team that has the higher aggregate score over the two legs progresses to the next round. In the event that aggregate scores finish level, the away goals rule is applied, i.e. the team that scored more goals away from home over the two legs progresses. If away goals are also equal, then 30 minutes of extra time are played, divided into two 15-minute halves. The away goals rule is again applied after extra time, i.e. if there are goals scored during extra time and the aggregate score is still level, the visiting team qualifies by virtue of more away goals scored. If no goals are scored during extra time, the tie is decided by penalty shootout. In the final, the tie is played as a single match. If scores are level at the end of normal time in the final, extra time is played, followed by penalties if scores remain tied.

In the draw for the round of 32, the twelve group winners and the four best third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage (based on their match record in the group stage) are seeded, and the twelve group runners-up and the other four third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage are unseeded. A seeded team is drawn against an unseeded team, with the seeded team hosting the second leg. Teams from the same group or the same association cannot be drawn against each other. In the draws for the round of 16 onwards, there are no seedings, and teams from the same group or the same association may be drawn against each other.

Qualified teams Key to coloursSeeded in round of 32 drawUnseeded in round of 32 draw

Europa League group stage winners and runners-up GroupWinnersRunners-upA PAOK Rubin KazanB Standard Liège Hannover 96C PSV Eindhoven Legia WarsawD Sporting CP LazioE Beşiktaş Stoke CityF Athletic Bilbao Red Bull SalzburgG Metalist Kharkiv AZH Club Brugge BragaI Atlético Madrid UdineseJ Schalke 04 Steaua BucureștiK Twente Wisła KrakówL Anderlecht Lokomotiv Moscow

Champions League group stage third-placed teams

Bracket

Round of 32

The draw for the round of 32 was held on 16 December 2011.

Summary

The first legs were played on 14 and 16 February, and the second legs were played on 22 and 23 February 2012.

Matches

Manchester City won 6–1 on aggregate.

Manchester United won 3–2 on aggregate.

2–2 on aggregate; Athletic Bilbao won on away goals.

Metalist Kharkiv won 8–1 on aggregate.

Valencia won 2–0 on aggregate.

Olympiacos won 2–0 on aggregate.

AZ won 2–0 on aggregate.

Atlético Madrid won 4–1 on aggregate.

Twente won 2–0 on aggregate.

Schalke 04 won 4–2 on aggregate.

1–1 on aggregate; Standard Liège won on away goals.

Beşiktaş won 2–1 on aggregate.

Udinese won 3–0 on aggregate.

PSV Eindhoven won 6–2 on aggregate.

Hannover 96 won 3–1 on aggregate.

Sporting CP won 3–2 on aggregate.

Round of 16

The draw for the round of 16 was held on 16 December 2011, immediately after the round of 32 draw.

Summary

The first legs were played on 8 March, and the second legs were played on 15 March 2012.

Matches

2–2 on aggregate; Metalist Kharkiv won on away goals.

3–3 on aggregate; Sporting CP won on away goals.

Schalke 04 won 4–2 on aggregate.

Hannover 96 won 6–2 on aggregate.

Valencia won 5–3 on aggregate.

AZ won 3–2 on aggregate.

Atlético Madrid won 6–1 on aggregate.

Athletic Bilbao won 5–3 on aggregate.

Quarter-finals

The draws for the quarter-finals were held on 16 March 2012.

Summary

The first legs were played on 29 March, and the second legs on 5 April 2012.

Matches

Valencia won 5–2 on aggregate.

Athletic Bilbao won 6–4 on aggregate.

Sporting CP won 3–2 on aggregate.

Atlético Madrid won 4–2 on aggregate.

Semi-finals

The draws for the semi-finals were held on 16 March 2012, immediately after the quarter-final draw.

Summary

The first legs were played on 19 April, and the second legs were played on 26 April 2012.

Matches

Atlético Madrid won 5–2 on aggregate.

Athletic Bilbao won 4–3 on aggregate.

Final

The final was played on 9 May 2012 at the Arena Națională in Bucharest, Romania. A draw was held on 16 March 2012, after the quarter-final and semi-final draws, to determine the "home" team for administrative purposes.

Notes

References

External links 2011–12 UEFA Europa League, UEFA.com