Celta Vigo vs Lyon Preview & Prediction | 2025-26 UEFA Europa League | Round of 16

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This is perhaps the pick of a very intriguing and interesting, competitive round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League as Celta Vigo welcome Olympique Lyonnais to Spain.

Kick-off date/time: 12 March 2026 at 8:00 pm

How to watch on TV: UK – TNT Sports / US – Not televised

How to watch online: UK – discovery+ / US – DAZN & Paramount+

Key stats

• This is the first UEFA competition match between Celta and Lyon.
• Celta have already beaten French opposition twice in this season’s UEFA Europa League, defeating Nice on Matchday 3 and Lille on Matchday 7 — both 2-1 victories at home.
• Celta lost both of their previous UEFA two‑legged ties against French opposition — Marseille in the 1998/99 UEFA Cup quarter‑finals and Lens at the same stage the following season.
• This is Celta’s first season in UEFA competition since reaching the semi‑finals of the 2016/17 UEFA Europa League. In that campaign, they defeated Krasnodar 4-1 on aggregate in the round of 16 (2-1 at home, 2-0 away).
• Celta have won six of their last nine UEFA Europa League matches (D1 L2).
• Celta have won six of their last eight UEFA two-legged ties.
• Celta have won six of their last eight UEFA competition home matches (L2).
• Lyon have already faced Spanish opposition in this season’s UEFA Europa League, suffering a 2-0 defeat away to Real Betis on Matchday 4.
• Lyon’s record in UEFA two‑legged ties against Spanish teams stands at three wins and four defeats. Their latest encounter was in the 2018/19 Champions League round of 16, a tie they lost 5-1 on aggregate to Barcelona.
• Lyon have won four of their five previous round of 16 ties in the UEFA Europa League. Last season at this stage they recorded a 7-1 aggregate victory over FCSB.
• Lyon have lost only two of their last 17 UEFA matches (W11 D4), and this season they have won seven of their eight Europa League fixtures (L1). 

Celta Vigo vs Lyon prediction

Celta Vigo have been very impressive throughout the last couple of years under the management of Claudio Giraldez. The Galicians were emphatic in their defeat of PAOK Salonika in the knockout playoff round but they will perhaps be frustrated by a 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid, conceding a very late winner against Los Blancos.

They now face a Lyon side that, coached by Paulo Fonseca, head into this one on the back of a 1-1 draw with Paris FC, making it four games without a win for the visitors, with that run of form immediately following and ending what was a 13-match winning streak across all competitions.

Lyon remain on the front foot, despite their average form, and that should be the case here in a game whereby both teams scoring seems likely at Balaidos.

Celta Vigo vs Lyon tip: Both teams to score