Europe’s fallen giants can still dream of winning the silver medal next May when Milan and Liverpool take on Prague’s two most sensible clubs in the UEFA Europa League (UEL) round of 16 draw.
The UEFA Round of 16 play-offs, pitting the Europa League organisational finalists who finished third at the UEFA Champions League (UCL) organisational level against each other, came to an end on Thursday. While Milan and Benfica advanced, six others who left the UCL (Feyenoord, Braga, Lens, Young Boys, Shakhtar Donetsk and Galatasaray) suffered defeat.
After beating Rennes 5-3 on aggregate, Milan will face Slavia Prague at San Siro in the first leg. Atalanta, a team in top Serie A form, has been paired with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon, while Roma, who beat Feyenoord on penalties, will face Brighton FC.
Like Italy, England has 3 representatives left. Premier League leaders Liverpool will face reigning Czech Republic champions Sparta Prague. West Ham will face Freiburg and Scottish Premiership leaders Rangers will be the loser Benfica.
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen will face Azerbaijani side Qarabag and Marseille will host Villareal in the first leg at the Orange Velodrome. The 8 winners of the UEL group, seeded in Friday’s draw, have qualified directly for the round of 16 and will gain advantages through play. at home on the return leg.
As the tournament progresses towards the finals, Milan, Liverpool, Benfica and Bayer are the clear favourites to reach the quarter-finals. The Rossoneri will be controlled by Rafael Leao, who scored in the home-and-away matches against Rennes. Credit goes to Milan and Liverpool, who immediately face Slavia and Sparta, after the two Czechs met two more times in five days of the MOL Cup and the Fortuna Liga.
Romelu Lukaku and Joao Pedro, who have scored six goals each, could overtake Marseille’s Pierre Aubameyang (7) when Roma, connected with a Saudi acquisition, take on Brighton at the Stadio Olimpico. The subplots of this match are just as juicy. With the win, Seagull manager Roberto De Zerbi can increase his chances of filling the void at Liverpool, and Daniele De Rossi can move from Roma’s caretaker coach to head coach if he manages to win the Europa League, something Jose Mourinho missed out on last season. in the final in Budapest.
Sparta Prague vs Liverpool
Marseille vs Villarreal
Rome-Brighton
Benfica-Rangers
Freiburg vs West Ham
Sporting Lisbon vs Atalanta
AC Milan vs Slavia Prague
Qarabag vs Bayer Leverkusen
Jurgen Klopp (L), Liverpool’s German manager, shares a moment with Brighton’s Italian coach. . . Roberto De Zerbi (R) before the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Liverpool at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton. South of England, 8 October 2023. (Photo via Glyn KIRK/AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. Cannot be used with unauthorized audio, video, data, match lists, club/league logos, or “live” services. Online use is limited to 120 photographs. 40 more photos can be used in overtime. There is no video emulation. The use of social media was limited to 120 photographs. Another 40 photographs can be used in overtime. Not used in betting, gaming or club/league/player only posts. / (Photo via GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images)
In the Europa Conference League (UECL), Fiorentina, the last Italian team left in the festival, will have to defeat Israel’s Maccabi Haifa, while the glamorous match will see Aston Villa take on former European champions Ajax.
La Viola and The Villans are the favourites to win the continent’s third trophy along with Lille and Fenerbahce, the latter with only one defeat in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Incredibly, defenders Luca Ranieri (3) and Lucas Martinez-Quarta (2) are Fiorentina’s most level-headed goalscorers in the UECL. Vincenzo Italiano’s side came out of Group F unbeaten, scoring 14 passes and conceding just six, and will move on to a draw with Maccabi Haifa. as overwhelming favorites.
Ajax beat Bodo/Glimt 4-3 on aggregate thanks to Kenneth Taylor’s extra-time winner and, after resurrecting their Eredivisie season with just one defeat in their last 14 games, found good form heading into the knockout clash against Aston Villa. There have been 10 individual goalscorers in Villa’s organisational phase, and manager Unai Emery will rely on Ollie Watkins, John McGinn and Nicolò Zaniolo to keep going.
The first legs will be played on 7 March and the matches will be played a week later on 14 March.
Servette vs Viktoria Pilsen
Ajax-Aston Villa
Molde vs Club Brugge
Union SG vs Fenerbahçe
Sturm Graz vs Lille
Maccabi Haifa vs Fiorentina
Olympiacos vs Maccabi Tel Aviv