Though the teams that finished between ninth and 24th in the league phase have been in action this week in the Europa League knockout phase playoffs.
Due to placing between 17th to 24th in the league phase, Ferencvaros, Porto, AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Union Saint-Gilloise, PAOK, Twente and Fenerbahce were all at home for the first-legs on Thursday.
They will face either the winners of the knockout phase play-off between between the 13th and 14th seeds, or the 19th and 20th seeds; Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland.
The top eight from the league phase of the competition will face the eight winners of the knockout play-off ties in the last 16.
In the new league phase format, the top eight teams have progressed straight through to the last-16 and avoided a two-legged knockout tie in the process.
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