Manchester United, Tottenham, and Rangers now have a clearer view of their potential routes to Europa League glory following the draw for the play-off round.
Both United and Spurs have automatically qualified for the last 16, ensuring they avoid each other until a potential final. However, they must wait for the play-off results to determine their next opponents. United will face either AZ Alkmaar or Galatasaray, while Spurs will take on the winner of FC Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad.
Meanwhile, Rangers, who finished eighth in the league stage, have been paired with Olympiacos and will face either Twente or Bodo/Glimt or Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht in the next round.
Full Europa League Play-Off Draw:
- Twente vs Bodo/Glimt
- Fenerbahce vs Anderlecht
- Union Saint-Gilloise vs Ajax
- PAOK vs FCSB
- AZ Alkmaar vs Galatasaray
- Midtjylland vs Real Sociedad
- Ferencvaros vs Viktoria Plzen
- Porto vs Roma
Key Dates & Round of 16 Setup
The first legs of the play-offs will take place on February 13, with the return legs on February 20. The round-of-16 draw is set for February 21, where United, Spurs, and Rangers will learn their half of the bracket.
Alongside them in the last 16 are Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Lyon, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Olympiacos. Notably, Lazio and Bilbao, as the top two finishers in the league stage, are placed in opposite brackets, as are Lyon and Frankfurt.
Manager Reactions
Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim welcomed the direct qualification to the last 16, emphasizing the value of the additional preparation time:
“That is massive for us. The joy of winning, the feeling of winning, but we will have two free weeks to work on our ideas and prepare. It’s really important. We are in the next stage, and now it’s about recovery and preparation.”
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou shared similar sentiments, pleased with his squad’s resilience throughout the campaign:
“It’s been a pretty good European run for us. We’ve had to deal with some adversity, but we’ve handled it well. Missing the play-off gives us extra time to get players back fit, which will be crucial for the knockout rounds. It’s an exciting challenge ahead.”
With high-profile clashes on the horizon, the Europa League knockout rounds promise plenty of drama as United, Spurs, and Rangers aim for European success.
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