Manchester United and Tottenham have learned their potential Europa League last-16 opponents following Friday's knockout phase play-off draw, setting the stage for what could be an exciting March showdown in European competition.
Both Premier League clubs secured their spots in the last-16 with impressive victories on Thursday night. United dispatched FCSB with a comfortable 2-0 win, while Tottenham demonstrated their dominance with a 3-0 victory over Elfsborg.
The draw has revealed that both English sides could face formidable opposition from a pool of teams including AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Real Sociedad, or Galatasaray in the two-legged ties scheduled for early to mid-March. These potential matchups promise to deliver compelling football as both United and Tottenham pursue European glory.
The complete play-off draw features several intriguing matchups: Ferencvaros will face Viktoria Plzen, Porto takes on Roma, Galatasaray meets AZ Alkmaar, and Real Sociedad squares off against Midtjylland. Other fixtures include Ajax versus Union Saint-Gilloise, FSCB against PAOK, Bodo/Glimt playing Twente, and Fenerbahce challenging Anderlecht.
Group stage statistics highlight the competitive nature of the tournament, with Lazio claiming top spot while United secured third place with 18 points. Tottenham followed closely behind in fourth, just a point adrift. Among the potential opponents, Real Sociedad finished 13th, Galatasaray 14th, AZ Alkmaar 19th, and Midtjylland 20th.
The play-off ties are scheduled for February 13 and 20, but before then, both English clubs return to domestic action this Sunday. Manchester United will host Crystal Palace, while Tottenham travels to face Brentford in Premier League encounters.
