Manchester United will face Real Sociedad in the Europa League last 16, Tottenham play AZ Alkmaar and Rangers face Fenerbahce; first legs will be played on March 6 with the second legs taking place on March 13; final held on May 21 in Bilbao
Europa League Last-16 Draw: Manchester United Face Real Sociedad, Spurs Meet AZ Alkmaar, Rangers Battle Mourinho’s Fenerbahce
The UEFA Europa League last-16 draw has set up some intriguing matchups, with Manchester United taking on Real Sociedad, Tottenham Hotspur clashing with AZ Alkmaar, and Rangers facing Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce.
The first-leg fixtures are scheduled for March 6, followed by the return legs on March 13. While Manchester United and Tottenham can only meet in the final, the Red Devils could potentially face Rangers in the semi-finals or come up against their former manager, Mourinho.
Mourinho, who was dismissed by Spurs in April 2021 just days before the Carabao Cup final, will look to guide Fenerbahce to European glory. However, Tottenham and Fenerbahce can only meet in the final.
Group Stage Performances and Knockout Qualification
Manchester United emerged as one of the most dominant teams in the Europa League’s new league phase, remaining unbeaten and finishing third overall. Their opponents, Real Sociedad, secured their last-16 place with an emphatic 7-3 aggregate win over Midtjylland.
Tottenham, who previously edged past AZ Alkmaar 1-0 in the league phase, finished fourth in the standings. Meanwhile, the Dutch side impressed in the knockout play-offs, eliminating Galatasaray with a commanding 6-3 aggregate victory.
Rangers, who barely scraped through to the last 16 in the final automatic qualification spot, now prepare for a challenging tie against Fenerbahce. The Turkish side had to take the long road, finishing 24th in the league phase before dispatching Anderlecht 5-2 on aggregate.
Full Europa League Last-16 Draw
- Bodo/Glimt vs Olympiacos
- Fenerbahce vs Rangers
- Ajax vs Eintracht Frankfurt
- FCSB vs Lyon
- AZ Alkmaar vs Tottenham
- Real Sociedad vs Manchester United
- Viktoria Plzen vs Lazio
- AS Roma vs Athletic Bilbao
Potential Routes to the Europa League Final
Manchester United’s Path:
- Last 16: vs Real Sociedad
- Quarter-final: vs Lyon or FCSB
- Semi-final: vs Fenerbahce, Rangers, Roma, or Athletic Bilbao
- Final: Potential opponents include Viktoria Plzen, Lazio, Olympiakos, Bodo/Glimt, Frankfurt, Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, or Tottenham
Tottenham’s Path:
- Last 16: vs AZ Alkmaar
- Quarter-final: vs Ajax or Frankfurt
- Semi-final: vs Viktoria Plzen, Lazio, Olympiakos, or Bodo/Glimt
- Final: Could face Real Sociedad, Man United, FCSB, Lyon, Fenerbahce, Rangers, Roma, or Athletic Bilbao
Rangers’ Path:
- Last 16: vs Fenerbahce
- Quarter-final: vs Athletic Bilbao or Roma
- Semi-final: vs Real Sociedad, Man United, FCSB, or Lyon
- Final: Possible opponents include Viktoria Plzen, Lazio, Olympiakos, Bodo/Glimt, Frankfurt, Ajax, AZ Alkmaar, or Tottenham
Europa League Knockout Stage Schedule
- Last 16: First legs on March 6, return legs on March 13
- Quarter-finals: First legs on April 10, second legs on April 17
- Semi-finals: First legs on May 1, return legs on May 8
- Final: May 21 at the Estadio de San Mamés, Bilbao, Spain
Knockout Play-offs: Key Results
First Leg Matches (February 13):
- Midtjylland 1-2 Real Sociedad
- Fenerbahce 3-0 Anderlecht
- Ferencvaros 1-0 Viktoria Plzen
- Union Saint-Gilloise 0-2 Ajax
- AZ Alkmaar 4-1 Galatasaray
- Porto 1-1 Roma
- Twente 2-1 Bodo/Glimt
- PAOK Salonika 1-2 FCSB
Second Leg Matches (February 20):
- Bodo/Glimt 5-2 Twente (agg 6-4)
- FCSB 2-0 PAOK Salonika (agg 4-1)
- Galatasaray 2-2 AZ Alkmaar (agg 3-6)
- Roma 3-2 Porto (agg 4-3)
- Ajax 1-2 Union Saint-Gilloise (agg 3-2)
- Anderlecht 2-2 Fenerbahce (agg 2-5)
- Viktoria Plzen 3-0 Ferencvaros (agg 3-1)
- Real Sociedad 5-2 Midtjylland (agg 7-3)
The road to the final in Bilbao is set, with plenty of exciting fixtures and potential heavyweight clashes. Manchester United, Tottenham, and Rangers all have tricky paths ahead, while Mourinho’s Fenerbahce could be a dark horse. The stage is set for an action-packed Europa League knockout phase.
