MADRID, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- It was a mixed night in the Europa League for Spanish clubs on Thursday with Villarreal and Valencia qualifying for the last 16, while Betis suffered a home defeat to French side Rennes.
An 80th minute goal from Pablo Fornals booked Villarreal's place in the next round with a 1-1 draw at home to Sporting Lisbon, giving them a 2-1 aggregate win after their 1-0 victory in Portugal a week ago.
Valencia had a routine 1-0 win at home to Celtic to add to their 2-0 win in Glasgow from the first leg with Kevin Gameiro scoring the winning goal in the 70th minute, after Celtic had been reduced to 10 men when Jeremy Toljan was shown two yellow cards in the first 38 minutes.
The surprise of the night happened in Betis' Benito Villamarin where the home side were able to build on a 3-3 first leg draw away to Rennes.
Ramy Bensebaini and Adrien Hunou put the visitors 2-0 up within half an hour and although Giovani Lo Celso got Betis right back into the tie and just a goal from qualification in the 41st, minute, Betis were unable to find the goal to take them into the next round and M'Baye Niang netted a third for Rennes in injury time to give them a 6-4 aggregate win.
Spain will have three sides in the last 16 after Wednesday night saw five-time winners Sevilla progress with a 2-0 win at home to Lazio to give them a comfortable 3-0 aggregate win.
