Thursday Brings a Feast of European Football

Thursday nights mean one thing for football fans across the continent — it's UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League time. While some second qualifying round matches have already taken place earlier this week, the bulk of the action — a staggering 53 matches — kicks off today.

Of those, only 8 fixtures belong to the Europa League, with the remaining games coming from the increasingly eclectic and far-reaching Europa Conference League. The competition, now in its fourth edition, continues to spotlight emerging football nations and clubs outside the traditional powerhouses.

Ukrainian clubs enter the fray tonight. FC Oleksandriya host Serbian giants Partizan Belgrade, while FC Polissya Zhytomyr take on Andorran outfit Santa Coloma — a clash that perfectly encapsulates the Conference League’s diversity.

Besiktas vs Shakhtar Donetsk: The Tie of the Day

But the spotlight, particularly for Eastern European fans, is firmly on Istanbul, where Besiktas welcome Shakhtar Donetsk in what is arguably the marquee clash of the night. On paper, this is the most high-profile encounter across both tournaments — a meeting of two experienced European campaigners.