Europa League draw LIVE: Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers through to last-16 as play-offs revealed
The Europa League’s new format sees eight play-off games decided by today’s draw as clubs fight to join Man Utd, Spurs and Rangers in the last-16
The Europa League play-off draw has been revealed as the match-ups for the new format’s first knockout round are decided.
The three British sides in this season’s Europa League – Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers – are already through to the last-16 after claiming one of the top-eight spots in the inaugural league phase, and they will have to wait for next month’s last-16 draw to find out their possible path to May’s final in Bilbao.
United and Spurs finished third and fourth in the league standings respectively, and will face one of either Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or Midtjylland in the last-16, while Rangers, who came eighth in the league standings, will play one of Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, Twente or Fenerbahce.
The play-off draw paired Galatasaray with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar and Real Sociedad with Danish outfit Midtjylland. The winners of those ties know they will face either United or Spurs in the last-16. In the section involving Rangers, Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce play Anderlecht and Twente play Bodo/Glimt.
In the other sections, Roma play Porto in perhaps the tie of the round, Ferencvaros of Hungary play Viktoria Plzen, and POAK of Greece will meet FCSB of Romania.
Europa League
We are ready to begin! We will start by drawing the unseeded teams, filling the eight play-off brackets.
Play-off 1:
Play-off 2:
Play-off 3:
Play-off 4:
Play-off 5:
Play-off 6:
Play-off 7:
Play-off 8:
How does today's Europa League draw work?
The teams that finished between ninth and 16th in the league standings will be seeded for the play-offs draw, and they will each be drawn against an unseeded team that finished between 17th and 24th in the table.
The seeded team will have the slight advantage of playing the second leg at home.
Teams will be paired together in the draw, so the two sides who finished ninth and 10th will be drawn against either the 23rd or 24th placed sides; the teams who finished 11th and 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides, and so on.
The eight winners from the play-offs will meet the top eight from the league phase in the last-16, where straight knockout rounds will run all the way to the final.
Europa League draw LIVE
Here comes Giorgio Marchetti, striding onto the stage to conduct his second Uefa draw of the day. The man is in his element.
Bilbao icon and former Spain striker Aduriz will help out with the draw.
Europa League draw LIVE
It was a good night for the British teams last night as Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers all won to book their place in the top-eight. Because of that, we know who they could face after progressing directly to the last-16.
Manchester United (3rd):
13th: Real Sociedad
14th: Galatasaray
19th: AZ Alkmaar
20th: Midtjylland
Tottenham (4th):
13th: Real Sociedad
14th: Galatasaray
19th: AZ Alkmaar
20th: Midtjylland
Rangers (8th):
9th: Bodo/Glimt
10th: Anderlecht
23rd: Twente
24th: Fenerbahce
Europa League draw LIVE
The draw ceremony is underway in Nyon! As a reminder, here’s what will be determined by the play-off draw.
Bodo/Glimt and Anderlecht (9th and 10th) will each play one of Twente and Fenerbahce (23rd and 24th).
FSCB and Ajax (11th and 12th) will each play one of Union SG and PAOK (21st and 22nd).
Real Sociedad and Galatasaray (13th and 14th) will each play one of AZ Alkmaar and Midtjylland (19th and 20th).
Roma and Viktoria Plzen (15th and 16th) will each play one of Ferencvaros and Porto (17th and 18th).
Ruben Amorim backs Man Utd to fight for Europa League title
Ruben Amorim believes Manchester United can win the Europa League after progressing to the last-16 with victory over FCSB last night.
It meant Amorim will get valuable time on the training ground ahead of entering the knockout stages of the competition.
“The idea is there because we have more time to play, to understand the game. I think we can go game by game and we can win it,” Amorim said.
“Then you have the responsibility, no matter what, no matter the context, you are in Manchester United so you must fight for winning trophies, so we will see.
“When you get to this stage of any competition, anything is possible and they can prove that in a good day, they can win against anybody, so we can think about that.”
Last night: Academy graduates take centre stage as Spurs progress
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Academy graduates take centre stage as Tottenham progress in Europa League
Rangers squeeze into Europa League last-16 after sinking Union SG
Nico Raskin headed the opener and Vaclav Cerny slotted a second as Rangers raised their game to beat Belgian side Union Saint-Gilloise 2-1 in Glasgow on Thursday and go directly through to the Europa League last 16.
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Last night: United’s unspectacular win reveals slow progress under Amorim
FCSB 0-2 Manchester United: The Red Devils competently secured their place in the last-16 with positive signs for the future.
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