Yoro, Tel, Nkunku… Who are the last French players in the Europa League and Conference?

After the Champions League, it's time for the "smaller" European cups, the Europa League (C3) and the Conference League (C4) this Thursday. While there are no French clubs in the running since Lyon's elimination by Manchester United in the C3 , several players are proudly flying the flag for France.

Yoro, Odobert and Tel, the survivors of the Europa League

A scorer in the quarter-final first leg against Olympique Lyonnais (2-2) and a starter in his team's improbable qualification in the return leg (5-4 after extra time), Leny Yoro can dream with Manchester United. At 19 years old, the defender has established himself as a regular for the Red Devils, who bought him from Lille for €62 million last summer. He travels to Bilbao to face Athletic this Thursday (9 p.m.) before the return leg in a week at Old Trafford.

In the other Europa League semi-final, it's also against an English club that we find not one, but two French players. After long months on the sidelines, attacking midfielder Wilson Odobert (20) has regained playing time with Tottenham. He isn't a starter like his teammate in the French U21 team, striker Mathys Tel, 20, on loan from Bayern Munich. Spurs, stuck in the second half of the Premier League table like Manchester United, can save their season provided they don't get surprised by the Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt, whom they host this Thursday.

Perraud, Adli and Richardson, opponents in the Conference League

After a season on loan at Nice, Romain Perraud has permanently left the English club Southampton for Andalusia. The 27-year-old left-back is a starter for Real Betis, who will play in their first European Cup semi-final. They will host Fiorentina in Seville on Thursday, the eighth-placed side in Serie A, having lost in the Conference League final in 2023 and 2024.

The Florentines hope to finally get their hands on the trophy with two French midfielders among their replacements. There's Yacine Adli, a PSG academy graduate on loan from AC Milan. And there's Amir Richardson, 23, a French U20 international before opting for the Moroccan national team. The former Le Havre and Reims player joined the Viola last summer for €9 million.

Chelsea with four French players in Sweden

The big favorite to win the Conference League, Chelsea travel to Stockholm on Thursday to face the modest Djurgarden club, who had to go through three qualifying rounds and then play-offs to participate in the Champions League. They will be without Wesley Fofana, who underwent surgery for a hamstring injury in early April . Benoît Badiashile, a substitute in the Premier League but a starter in Europe, is expected to line up in defense. Two other French internationals, Malo Gusto and Christopher Nkunku, are also expected. It is also not impossible to see young Mathis Amougou, the 19-year-old midfielder bought by the Blues from Saint-Étienne last winter for €15 million.