Open Extended Reactions
With what seemed like an interminable January almost done and dusted, the group stages of the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League are also at a close.
Once again, we've seen stadiums across the continent transformed into cacophonous cauldrons of noise and motion as legions of fans organized and performed enormous tifos to help ramp up the prematch atmosphere.
From masterclasses of moving imagery to full-on pyrotechnic chaos, home supporters have marked their European fixtures in memorable fashion. We've seen stadium-filling banners, historic-themed epics and impressive returns to form from clubs that have been away for a while.
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A doff of the cap is also most definitely due to Marseille, who have dramatically upped their tifo game to become arguably the best in the business, at least over the past few months of UEFA competition.
Here's a roundup of the very best tifos spotted during the opening bouts in European competition this season.
Olympique Marseille fans deserve gold medal
Every season a new contender emerges for the crown, and this year it is Marseille who are 2025-26's undisputed European tifo kings. The French club has truly gone above and beyond while marking every single home tie with an elaborate display.
Marseille vs. Ajax (Champions League, Sept. 30, 2025)
(Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Attempting a little prematch intimidation, fans of L'OM quite literally kicked things off with a tifo of their defender Jules Zvunka going in hard against Ajax legend Johan Cruyff in a 1971 European Cup clash.
Marseille vs. Atalanta (Champions League, Nov. 5, 2025)
CLEMENT MAHOUDEAU/AFP via Getty Images
A large portrait of reggae icon Bob Marley appeared in the Virage Sud of the Stade Velodrome as the lyrics to his hit "Get Up, Stand Up" were scrolled below. In the background, the colors cycled from blue and white, to the Jamaican flag, to a full-on burst of pyrotechnics and flares.
Marseille vs. Newcastle United (Champions League, Nov. 25, 2025)
Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images
Marseille welcomed Newcastle to the Stade Velodrome with a charming and altogether more serene vignette that showed old L'OM jerseys hanging from a clothesline above a suburban street. The banner below read, "For my city, for my club."
Marseille vs. Liverpool (Champions League, Jan. 21, 2026)
Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
With the Premier League champions in town, the Marseille fans decided to opt for a Beatles-themed tifo at the Velodrome that saw the Fab Four huddled together and flicking through a newspaper with a headline that warned against "History repeating itself" -- a reference to L'OM's win over the Reds in the knockout phase of the 2003-04 UEFA Cup. Below was a reworking of the French lyrics from Beatles song "Michelle," with the titular subject changed to "Marseille."
Thibaud MORITZ / AFP
At the other end of the stadium, the fans also produced an epic samurai warrior scene (along with the dramatic slogan "Ready to die for the glory of my banner") and a tribute to former manager Rolland Courbis, who died earlier in January.
Scenes of a historic nature
For as long as there have been tifos, fans have drawn on historical imagery to rally their soccer troops. This season has seen an array of eras and events used as inspiration for prematch displays.
Manchester City vs. Borussia Dortmund (Champions League, Nov. 5, 2025)
Carl Recine/Getty Images
A tribute to "Erling the Great" was visible at the Etihad Stadium showing City's big Norwegian striker Erling Haaland in full Viking garb as he prepared to line up against his former club. While, sadly, he didn't take to the pitch in a horned helmet and cloak, Haaland duly got on the scoresheet in a 4-1 victory.
Rangers vs. AS Roma (Europa League, Nov. 6, 2025)
Craig Foy/SNS Group
A large gladiator in full armor was spotted stalking through the terraces of the Copland Stand at Ibrox as Rangers fans welcomed their Roman opposition to Glasgow's answer to the Colosseum.
Rapid Vienna vs. CSU Craiova (Conference League, Nov. 6, 2025)
Christian Hofer/Getty Images
There were beautiful picture postcard scenes on display at the Weststadion as Rapid fans unfurled a loving tribute to "Vienna, city of my dreams" -- presumably on behalf of the local tourist board.
Real Madrid vs. Manchester City (Champions League, Dec. 10, 2025)
Antonio Villalba/Real Madrid
A vast scene was unfurled across the lower tier of the Bernabéu depicting a fleet of Spanish galleons hunting down the three-masted vessel that appears on City's club crest, which appeared broadside in the lens of the captain's telescope.
Reveling in past glories
The Champions League, Europa League and Conference League are stuffed with clubs that have conquered European football in the past, with many of them extremely keen to remind their opponents of just how successful they have been down throughout the years.
Chelsea vs. Benfica (Champions League, Sept. 30, 2025)
Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
We were offered a glimpse of the fearsome security system in place in the Stamford Bridge trophy room as Chelsea's emblematic lion was shown keeping close guard of the club's haul of European and international silverware.
Real Madrid vs. Juventus (Champions League, Oct. 22, 2025)
Angel Martinez/Getty Images
An excited young Madridista is seen holding a scarf aloft above a banner that reads "To see the Bernabéu is to see the Champions." It's tough to argue, given that Los Blancos have won the European Cup more times than any other club in history.
Manchester City vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Champions League, Nov. 25, 2025)
Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images
Though City might not have quite the same level of European prestige as Real Madrid, they are still champions and that magic evening in Istanbul in 2023 was heartily celebrated this season with a banner of coach Pep Guardiola kissing the Champions League trophy along with a motto borrowed from The Stone Roses.
Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven (Champions League, Nov. 26, 2025)
Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Fans at Anfield rolled out a large banner that was covered in hand-drawn portraits of a selection of the legendary players and coaches who played pivotal roles in Liverpool's multiple European successes.
Big European nights under the lights
We've seen some fantastic celebratory efforts from clubs returning to the European stage after an extended hiatus or merely enjoying what might be a rare foray into UEFA competition.
Newcastle United vs. Barcelona (Champions League, Sept. 18, 2025)
Lee Parker - CameraSport via Getty Images
With their famous 1997 victory over Barcelona in mind, Newcastle borrowed heavily from rock heavyweights AC/DC while loudly declaring themselves to be "Back in black and white" with their Magpie mascot taking center stage between two stacks of amps.
Aston Villa vs. Bologna (Europa League, Sept. 25, 2025)
Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images
Villa have made the most of their recent return to European football by engaging in a series of elaborate tifos before their midweek fixtures. With Bologna in town, the Holte End was lit up with a large tifo centered on a vintage Polaroid camera that produced snaps from the previous season's Champions League exploits against Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain, et al.
Nottingham Forest vs. FC Midtjylland (Europa League, Oct. 2, 2025)
Michael Regan/Getty Images
A new generation of Nottingham Forest fans loaded up the tour bus before embarking on their first continental foray in almost 30 years, with the home game against Danish side Midtjylland representing the first European game at the City Ground since 1996.
Racing Genk vs. Ferencvaros (Europa League, Oct. 2, 2025)
Tomas Sisk / Photonews via Getty Images
On their return to the Europa League proper, Genk fans unveiled a rather stylish "Dragon Ball Z" theme in which the cocksure antagonist Vegeta instructed his visiting Hungarian entourage to "prepare themselves for oblivion" only for the Belgian side to promptly lose 1-0 on the night.
Crystal Palace vs. AEK Larnaca (Conference League, Oct. 23, 2025)
Steve Bardens - AMA/Getty Images
An homage to the opening credits of classic British sitcom "Dad's Army" saw Palace fans herald their march on Leipzig, where the 2025-26 Conference League final will be staged come May.