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Europa League: Group permutations

Sports Mole takes a look at what teams have to do in tomorrow's final group matches to secure their place in the knockout stages of the Europa League.

The Europa League is five matches down and as a result some sides have already secured their place in the knockout stages, while others have been eliminated.

However, ahead of tomorrow's sixth and final round of group encounters, there are still some things to be decided.

Here, Sports Mole looks at the conundrums that are yet to be answered in each of the 12 groups.


Group A

Molde: Back-to-back wins over Celtic saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team book their place in the last 32 of the competition. They currently sit top of the standings and will advance as group winners if they avoid defeat against Ajax.

Fenerbahce: The Turks, with former Manchester United duo Nani and Robin van Persie to call upon, will progress if they beat Celtic - a draw will also be enough. To win the group, they must win and hope that Molde lose.

Fenerbahce's Robin Van Persie (R) heads the ball next to Ajax' Joel Veltman (C) and Ricardo Van Rhijn during the UEFA Europa League Group A football match Fenerbahce vs Ajax Amsterdam on October 22, 2015© Getty Images

Ajax: Frank de Boer's men can finish second at best and even that looks a tall order. To do so they need to take maximum points against Molde in Amsterdam and hope that bottom side Celtic see off Fenerbahce.

Celtic: It has been a miserable campaign for Ronny Deila's charges, who have just two points to their name and cannot qualify.

Remaining fixtures: Fenerbahce vs. Celtic, Ajax vs. Molde


Group B

Liverpool: The unbeaten table-topping Reds are already through and they will stay in pole position if they can avoid defeat from their trip to Sion.

Sion As for the Swiss side, to guarantee progression they need to take at least a point against Liverpool. If they can beat the Premier League side, they will leapfrog them into first position.

Ebenezer Assifuah of FC Sion celebrates scoring their first goal with team mates during the UEFA Europa League group B match between Liverpool FC and FC Sion at Anfield on October 1, 2015© Getty Images

Rubin Kazan: The Russians have a superior head-to-head record over Sion, so all is not lost. To qualify they need to beat Bordeaux and hope that Liverpool do the business in Switzerland.

Bordeaux: The winless Ligue 1 outfit can finish the group phase no higher than third position.

Remaining fixtures: Bordeaux vs. Rubin, Sion vs. Liverpool


Group C

FC Krasnodar: The already-qualified Russians are surprisingly top of the group and they will remain there if they match Dortmund's results against PAOK.

Borussia Dortmund: Like Krasnodar, Dortmund have 10 points and are assured of their spot in the last 32. They can go through as winners by bettering the result that the leaders pick up against Qabala.

Dortmund's Adman Januzaj (L) and Paok's Miguel Vitor (C) vie during the UEFA Europa League football match PAOK FC Thessaloniki vs Borussia Dortmund at Toumpa stadium in Thessaloniki on October 1, 2015© Getty Images

PAOK: The third-placed Greeks have nothing but pride to play for when they travel to Dortmund.

Qabala: Meanwhile, Qabala are bottom, but can move up a place if they beat Krasnodar and PAOK lose.

Remaining fixtures: Qabala vs. Krasnodar, Dortmund vs. PAOK


Group D

Napoli: It has been an emphatic campaign by the Serie A outfit, who have won all five of their games, scoring 17 goals and conceding just one. Their place in the next round as group winners has long been assured.

Midtjylland: A win over Brugge at home will see the Danes join Napoli in the last 32, as will a draw if Legia fail to topple the Italians.

Josè Maria Callejon of Napoli celebrate by hise team mates after 5-0 scored during the UEFA Europa League Group D match between SSC Napoli and FC Midtjylland at Stadio San Paolo on November 5, 2015 in Naples, Italy.© Getty Images

Club Brugge: Due to their superior head-to-head record over Legia, Brugge will go through if they are victorious in Denmark.

Legia Warsaw: The bottom-placed Poles can also progress, although they will be relying on favours from elsewhere. Henning Berg's team need to win and then hope that the group's other game ends in a draw.

Remaining fixtures: Midtjylland vs. Brugge, Napoli vs. Legia


Group E

Villarreal: The La Liga outfit sit top on 12 points and will go through as group winners providing that they beat Plzen or match the result that Rapid pick up at home to Minsk.

Rapid Vienna: Due to their inferior head-to-head record with Villarreal, Rapid must pick up more points than the Yellow Submarine to win the group. Either way, their qualification is guaranteed.

Dinamo Minsk's defender Umaru Bangura (L) fights for the ball with Rapid Wien's forward Matej Jelic during the UEFA Europa League group E football match between FC Dinamo Minsk and SK Rapid Wien in Borisov outside Minsk on October 1, 2015© Getty Images

Viktoria Plzen: Some way adrift of the top two, Plzen only have third position to play for.

Dinamo Minsk: The Eastern Europeans are in exactly the same boat as Plzen, given that both sides are locked on three points.

Remaining fixtures: Vienna vs. Minsk, Plzen vs. Villarreal


Group F

Braga: The Portuguese side are top and have secured their place in the next round, but will also win the group if they claim a point away in Groningen.

Marseille: It will be straight knockout for Marseille when they travel to Liberec. A win or a draw nails down a place in the last 32 for Michel's men, who will top the group if they win and Braga lose.

Marseille's French midfielder Georges-Kevin Nkoudou (2nd R) celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa League football match between Marseille and Braga on November 5, 2015 at the Velodrome stadium in Marseille, southern France. © Getty Images

Slovan Liberec: Nothing but a win will do for the Czech side, who sit in third position and two points adrift of Marseille.

Groningen: With just one point to their name from five outings, Groningen cannot get off the bottom.

Remaining fixtures: Liberec vs. Marseille, Groningen vs. Braga


Group G

Lazio: Four wins and a draw have left Lazio clear at the top, regardless of the outcome of their trip to Saint-Etienne.

Saint-Etienne: The French side are also through, but even a victory over Lazio in France will not be enough to see them better their current position in second.

Lazio's defender from Netherlands Wesley Hoedt (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring during UEFA Europa League football match Lazio versus Saint Etienne at Rome's Olympic stadium, on October 1, 2015© Getty Images

Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk: It has been a miserable campaign for last season's finalists, who are third and four points adrift of Saint-Etienne.

Rosenberg: Kare Ingebrigtsen's men will drop Dnipro to the bottom of the group if they can beat them in Ukraine.

Remaining fixtures: Dnipro vs. Rosenberg, St-Etienne vs. Lazio


Group H

Besiktas: The Turks are in the driving seat and will advance through with a draw against Sporting, while a victory would seal top spot.

Lokomotiv Moscow: A win over Skenderbeu will book Lokomotiv's place in the last 32 and top spot is also a possibility if Besiktas slip up.

Lokomotiv's midfielder Aleksandr Samedov (L) celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Europa League group H football match Sporting CP vs Lokomotiv Moskva at the Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon on September 17, 2015© Getty Images

Sporting Lisbon: In what is a three-way battle, Sporting are also well in contention. A victory over Braga in Lisbon will be enough, as would a draw if Lokomotiv lose thanks to their superior head-to-head record.

Skenderbeu: Sadly for the Albanians, their role at best will be that of party poopers against Lokomotiv.

Remaining fixtures: Sporting vs. Besiktas, Skenderbeu vs. Lokomotiv


Group I

Basel: Having gotten the better of Fiorentina in the two meetings between the sides, Basel are already through as group winners.

Fiorentina: Meanwhile, the Italians will join them in the last 32 if they avoid defeat in their home clash against Belenenses.

Fiorentina's Italian goalkeeper Luigi Sepe (L) concedes a goal to Basel's Czech defender Marek Suchy (C) during the UEFA Europa League group I football match between Basel and Fiorentina at the St Jakob stadium in Basel on November 26, 2015.© Getty Images

Lech Poznan: The Polish side have an inferior head-to-head record against Fiorentina, so to get through they need to beat Basel and then hope that the Serie A team also lose.

Belenenses: The Portuguese team are also in contention, but would need to beat Fiorentina and then see Lech slip up to qualify.

Remaining fixtures: Fiorentina vs. Belenenses, Lech vs. Basel


Group J

Tottenham Hotspur: The North Londoners are already through, although top spot is not assured just yet. A point against Monaco will secure it.

Anderlecht: A win over Qarabag will see the Belgian side join Spurs and they will go above them if the Premier League side lose to Monaco.

Harry Kane of Spurs is challenged by Steven Defour (L) of Anderlecht and Leander Dendoncker (R) of Anderlecht during the UEFA Europa League Group J match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and RSC Anderlecht at White Hart Lane on November 5, 2015 in London, Uni© Getty Images

AS Monaco: The 2004 Champions League finalists need to win at White Hart Lane and hope that Qarabag pull off an upset against Anderlecht.

Qarabag FK: The minnows will be through if they win and Monaco do not. Also, if the other game is drawn, the Azerbaijani team will finish second due to the higher number of points obtained in the group matches among the three teams in question.

Remaining fixtures: Anderlecht vs. Qarabag, Tottenham vs. Monaco


Group K

Schalke 04: The Bundesliga outfit are already through and will nab top spot by beating Asteras in Greece.

Sparta Prague: Sparta are also in the next round and can finish at the summit by overcoming APOEL, coupled with Schalke dropping points.

Schalke's goalkeeper Ralf Faehrmann (L) looks on as Prague´s forward David Lafata (R) celebrates his goal during the UEFA Europa League football match AC Sparta Praha vs FC Schalke 04 in Prague, on November 5, 2015. © Getty Images

Asteras Tripolis: The Greeks find themselves in third - a position that they cannot improve upon.

APOEL As for the Cypriots, they are bottom, but will move up a place if they win and Asteras fail to do so.

Remaining fixtures: APOEL vs. Sparta, Asteras vs. Schalke


Group L

Athletic Bilbao: With the competition's leading goalscorer Aritz Aduriz, Bilbao are top and will remain there regardless of the result that they pick up at home to AZ.

Partizan: Avoiding defeat at home to Augsburg will be enough for Partizan to join Bilbao in the knockout stages.

Athletic Bilbao's forward Aritz Aduriz (C) vies with Partizan's Brazilian defender Fabricio (L) and defender Lazar Cirkovic (R) during the UEFA Europa League group L football match Athletic Club Bilbao vs FK Partizan at the San Mames stadium in Bilbao on © Getty Images

Augsburg: To get through the Bundesliga outfit must match or better the 3-1 scoreline by which the Serbian team won in Germany earlier in the campaign.

AZ Alkmaar: The Dutch outfit are bottom and out of the qualification picture.

Remaining fixtures: Partizan vs. Augsburg, Bilbao vs. AZ


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Omar El Kaddouri and Lorenzo Insigne of Napoli celebrate a goal 1-0 scored by Omar El Kaddouri during the UEFA Europa League Group D match between SSC Napoli and FC Midtjylland at Stadio San Paolo on November 5, 2015 in Naples, Italy.
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