The Europa League group stages have concluded, revealing the matchups for the round of 16. This article explores the potential paths for Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Rangers, detailing their opponents and upcoming challenges.
Rangers’ Europa League Journey
Rangers narrowly avoided a late setback against Union SG, securing their place in the round of 16 through a fortunate finish in eighth position. In the play-offs, they will face one of Anderlecht, Bodø/Glimt, Fenerbahçe, or Twente in what promises to be a tightly contested match.
Manchester United’s Progress
Manchester United secured third place in the group phase, thanks to impressive second-half performances by Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo, who starred in a 2-0 victory over Steaua Bucharest. They advance directly to the last 16, where they will play against one of Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar, or Midtjylland on March 6 and 13.
Tottenham’s Performance
Tottenham Hotspur also progressed to the round of 16 after defeating Elfsborg 3-0. They face a similar scheduling to Manchester United, with a potential matchup against Midtjylland, AZ Alkmaar, Real Sociedad, or Olympiakos on March 6 and 13. Notably, Spurs and Manchester United are guaranteed not to meet until the final due to the draw structure.
Europa League Draw Details
The draw for the Europa League play-offs is scheduled for Friday, January 31, around 12:00 AM UK time. You can follow it live on Sky Sports digital and the Sky Sports App from 10:30 AM.
Draw Format
Teams ranked ninth to 16th in the group stages are seeded for the play-off round, facing non-seeded teams ranked 17th to 24th. Seeded teams have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.
Teams in positions 9 and 10 will play either 23rd or 24th placed teams, and similarly, teams in positions 11 and 12 will oppose either 21st or 22nd placed teams.
The eight victorious teams from the play-offs will meet the top eight teams from the group stages in the round of 16, continuing with the Knockout format through to the final.
Schedule of Knockout Stages
- Play-offs: February 13 and 20
- Round of 16: March 6 and 13
- Quarter-finals: April 10 and 17
- Semi-finals: May 1 and 8
- Final: May 21 at Estadio de San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain
British Teams’ Opponents in the Next Round
Manchester United (Ranked No. 3)
Manchester United will compete in the round of 16, facing potential opponents Midtjylland, AZ Alkmaar, Real Sociedad, or Olympiakos.
Tottenham (Ranked No. 4)
Tottenham’s path to the round of 16 includes a possible clash with Midtjylland, AZ Alkmaar, Real Sociedad, or Olympiakos.
Rangers (Ranked No. 8)
Rangers will face Anderlecht, Bodø/Glimt, Fenerbahçe, or Twente in their round of 16 match.
Teams Confirmed for the Round of 16
The confirmed participants in the round of 16 are Lazio, Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham, Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiakos, and Rangers.
Teams Confirmed for the Knockout Phase Play-offs
The following teams are confirmed for the knockout phase play-offs: Bodø/Glimt, Anderlecht, Steaua, Ajax, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Roma, Plzen, Ferencváros, Porto, Midtjylland, AZ Alkmaar, Union Saint-Gilloise, PAOK, Twente, and Fenerbahçe.
Eliminated Teams
The following teams were eliminated in the group stages: Braga, IF Elfsborg, Hoffenheim, Besiktas, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Dynamo Kyiv, Nice, Qarabag, Ludogorets, Malmo, Slavia Prague, and RFS.
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