Nine teams know they will be playing their last European match of the season, while Strasbourg have wrapped up a place in the round of 16. Another seven teams have officially booked knockout round berths, while a further five have all but done the same. Those dozen will be pushing to join the Ligue 1 outfit in the last 16.
That, in essence, leaves 14 teams to battle it out for the final 11 places in the knockout rounds. KuPS Kuopio, Zrinjski, and Breidablik are on the outside looking in, but could end up celebrating by the time the night is over.
The teams that finish in the top eight enter the round of 16 directly, while the sides finishing between ninth and 24th will partake in the knockout round playoffs.
Here is a look at what is on the line for those sides going into the final round of play.
Top eight places: Dozen hoping to avoid knockout playoffs
Thirteen teams enter Thursday knowing they will be playing in the competition next year. For 12 of them, the question will be whether they can join Strasbourg in qualifying directly for the last 16.
Shakhtar Donetsk are in the best position to avoid the knockout playoffs. The Pitmen have won their last three, and just need a point from their clash with Rijeka to lock down a top-eight place in their maiden Conference League appearance.
It is a similar story for Rakow, who are on 11 points in third spot. The Polish side head to Cyprus to face Omonia Nicosia, and will look to claim at least one point, which should be enough for at least eighth.
Beyond them, AEK Athens, Samsunspor, Sparta Praha, Rayo Vallecano, and Mainz are all on 10 points, and will enter the night in the top eight. The German and Turkish sides will face off in a direct clash for the top eight. That will be one of the games to watch. For everyone else, they know a victory will see them enter the last 16.
Crystal Palace, AEK Larnaca, Fiorentina, Celje, and AZ Alkmaar are the chasing pack, sitting on nine points. For all five teams, a win will give them a realistic shot at jumping into the top eight, while anything less will definitely mean entering the knockout playoffs in February.
Thirteen points will lock up a place in the round of 16, while finishing on 12 will give a high chance of doing so. Goal difference will be key in this race, as the final place or two could come down to a tiebreaker.
Knockout round spots: Several clubs looking to make history
The real fun on Thursday night will involve 14 teams, currently sitting between 14th and 27th. They are the ones fighting to remain in the competition beyond this calendar year.
Six teams - Rijeka, Omonia, Lausanne-Sport, Noah, Jagiellonia Bialystok and Drita - enter the round on eight points. For this half a dozen, they are in a solid position to advance. A point in their respective games will do the trick, though draws or defeats from teams below them will also see them through. They have the least to worry about, though they will want to avoid defeat to avoid any stress.
The final eight teams still in contention are left sweating. Lech Poznan and Sigma Olomouc will face each other in what is most likely the biggest game of the round. Those two sides, along with Shkendija, CS Universitatea Craiova, and Lincoln Red Imps, are all on seven points, and currently hold the last places in the top 24.
On the outside looking are KuPS, Zrinjski - both on six points - and Breidablik on five. All three of them know they will be out with a loss. Things are even more tricky for the Icelandic club, who must win in order to stand any chance at advancing.
A draw for KuPS and/or Zrinjski may be enough to sneak into the top 24, though that will depend on other results.
As was the case last season, seven points will be the cut-off for qualifying for the knockout rounds. Goals-scored was the tiebreaker that broke Hearts' hearts last time. For the teams on seven and eight points, they will look to avoid the same fate.
Nine teams are eliminated heading into Thursday night. Those include former Cup Winners' Cup champions Aberdeen, Slovan Bratislava, and Dynamo Kyiv, who all disappointed in this league phase. Legia Warsaw and Rapid Wien, who were in the quarter-finals of the UECL last spring, are also out, with the latter having yet to pick up a point.
Irish pair Shamrock Rovers and Shelbourne, the latter having yet to score in the league phase, will play no further part in the tournament after December, alongside Sweden's Hacken and Hamrun Spartans of Malta.
