The Europa League last-16 draw has been made, with Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester United both given strict tests. Arsenal will face Sporting Lisbon in the last 16, with the first leg taking place on Thursday, March 9.
The two sides have met twice in European competition, with Arsenal winning both ties. Sporting Lisbon has recently been boosted by former Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin, who joined the Portuguese club in January from Barcelona.
Manchester United has been drawn against Real Betis, managed by ex-Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini. The Red Devils have been in fine form since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over, losing just once in all competitions since November.
The first leg will be played at Old Trafford on the same day as Arsenal’s first leg. Elsewhere, Bundesliga title candidates Union Berlin will face Union Saint-Gilloise, while Serie A side Roma will take on Real Sociedad. Sevilla will face Fenerbahce, while Freiburg, Ferencvaros, and Feyenoord drew Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, and Shakhtar Donetsk respectively.
The first legs of the last-16 fixtures will t, take place on Thursday, March 9, with the second legs a week later on Thursday, March 16. The draw for the quarter-finals will take place on Friday, March 17. The Europa League is becoming increasingly competitive, with some of Europe’s biggest clubs involved.
Arsenal and Manchester United can win the competition, and the draw has given them both a tough but winnable tie. The last-16 draw has also pitted some of Europe’s top teams against each other, with Juventus, Sevilla, and Roma all drawn against tough opposition. With the second leg of the last-16 ties taking place a week later, teams will have to be at their best to progress to the quarter-finals.
The Europa League is always an exciting competition, and this year’s edition is no different. The last-16 draw has thrown up some intriguing fixtures, and with some of Europe’s top teams involved, it should be a thrilling conclusion to the competition.