Some big names will be in the hat for the UEFA Europa League last 16 as the draw approaches.
Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers will be joined by the likes of Lazio and Athletic Bilbao in the next phase. A familiar face in the shape of Jose Mourinho could be in the mix if his Fenerbahce side see off Viktoria Plzen, while Jordan Henderson’s Ajax have bounced back from a recent crisis to become a formidable side once more.
As for Philippe Clement, things domestically have been more than rocky. But Gers fans have seen their mood brightened by better showings in Europe. The Light Blues have advanced to the knockout rounds for the fifth time in six seasons and would love nothing more than to repeat the run to the 2022 final in Seville.
Record Sport is here to run the rule over the Europa League last 16 draw as many cracking ties await.
When and where is the Europa League last-16 draw?
The Europa League draw will take place on Friday, February 21 in Nyon, Switzerland. The ceremony will begin at 12 noon UK time.
Which teams are in the draw?
The teams who finished in the top eight of the competition’s new league phase table automatically qualified for the last 16. They are Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiacos and Rangers. The rest had to negotiate a playoff tie to make it this far.
Europa League draw as it stands:
- Ferencváros vs Viktoria Plzen – winner to play Lazio or Athletic Club in last 16
- Twente vs Bodo/Glimt – to play Olympiacos or Rangers in last 16
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Ajax – to play Eintracht Frankfurt or Lyon in last 16
- AZ vs Galatasaray – to play Man Utd or Tottenham in last 16
- Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad – to play Man Utd or Tottenham in last 16
- PAOK vs FSCB – to play Eintracht Frankfurt or Lyon in last 16
- Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht – to play Olympiacos or Rangers in last 16
- Porto vs Roma – to play Lazio or Athletic Club in last 16
There will also be a draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals to decide which team will host the first leg.
How does the last 16 draw work?
From the knockout play-offs onwards the tournament is bracketed, meaning winners are matched up with one of two sides placed in pre-defined pairings. These were organised according to final league phase standings.
The top eight clubs are paired based on their positions at the end of the league phase to form four seeded pairs. The draw allocates the side of the bracket for all the seeded teams, starting with the teams ranked 7th and 8th and finishing with the teams 1st and 2nd. So every play-off victor will have a much better idea of who they are facing, with two options instead of up to seven as in previous editions.
How can I watch the Europa League draw?
It will be broadcast live on UEFA’s website and TNT Sports will also offer live coverage. For those without a TNT subscription the draw will be live on their official YouTube channel.
Can teams from the same country face each other?
Yes they can. Up until this season, teams from the same countries could not face each other in the first knockout round – previously the last 16. However from this season that rule was removed for all knockout games.
When are the Europa League last-16 fixtures?
The last 16 ties are played over two legs with the first set of games scheduled for Thursday March 6 and the second on Thursday March 13 a week later.