Europa League draw live updates: Liverpool to play Sparta Prague, Brighton to face Roma, Conference League latest
Europa League & Conferece League — last-16 draws
Europa League last-16 draw:
- Sparta Prague v Liverpool, Marseille v Villarreal,
- Roma v Brighton, Benfica v Rangers,
- Freiburg v West Ham, Sporting CP v Atalanta,
- Milan v Slavia Prague, Qarabag v Leverkusen.
Conference League last-16 draw:
- Servette v Viktoria Plzen, Ajax v Aston Villa,
- Molde v Club Bruges, Union SG v Fenerbahce,
- Dinamo v PAOK, Sturm Graz v Lille,
- Maccabi Haifa v Fiorentina,
- Olympiacos v Maccabi Tel Aviv.
✉️ Get in touch: livebloguk@theathletic.com
The Conference League round of 16 draw
So to conclude, here is that Conference League last 16 draw - with the group winners all seeded and named second here, playing away in their first leg:
- Servette v Viktoria Plzen
- Ajax v Aston Villa
- Molde v Club Bruges
- Union SG v Fenerbahçe
- Dinamo v PAOK
- Sturm Graz v Lille
- Maccabi Haifa v Fiorentina
- Olympiacos v Maccabi Tel Aviv
We're looking forward to it already.
Advertisement
A job well done
Once again we get the treat of Ayo Akinwolere's explainer of next season's European competition formats - and with that, we are done.
Perhaps the two most efficient draws in UEFA history. A format they really should extent to all draws.
Anyway, remember to share your thoughts with us too - simply email: livebloguk@theathletic.com
Some interesting ties
Standing out for me, alongside the obvious Ajax vs Aston Villa tie, are Brighton's sister team USG facing Fenerbahce, Sturm Graz vs Lille and Molde vs Club Bruges.
Some interesting match-ups there, for sure.
And the draw is done
And the final tie of the Conference League round of 16 is...
🔮 Olympiacos v Maccabi Tel Aviv
And with that, we are done. Yep, that Ajax v Villa tie was definitely the highlight.
Fiorentina discover their fate
The penultimate tie...
🔮 Maccabi Haifa v Fiorentina
Lille take on Sturm Graz
The final stages of the draw now...
🔮 Sturm Graz v Lille
Advertisement
Fascinating clash for Villa
A really interesting match-up between two of European football's historically successful clubs.
You have to say Villa are the favourites, considering the Dutch side's patchy domestic form.
A home final for PAOK?
Will a Greek side play in the final in Athens? Maybe...
🔮 Dinamo Zagreb v PAOK
Belgian test for Fenerbahce
This should be a fun one...
🔮 Royale Union Saint-Gilloise v Fenerbahce
Onwards with Molde
That's probably the highlight of this draw done and dusted already, but we'll persevere. Next...
🔮 Molde v Club Bruges
What a tie for Villa
The Dutch giants follow...
🔮 Ajax v Aston Villa
Oh yes. Jordan Henderson gets a welcome back to England at Villa Park.
Advertisement
Plzen drawn first
First out...
🔮 Servette v Viktoria Plzen
Plzen the only team to win all six of their games.
Tobias' time to shine
A clap here for Tobias Hedtstuck, UEFA's snappily titled head of club competitions and calendar.
He is at his best, explaining the logistics for a couple of moments ahead of each draw.
Here we go...
Katsouranis leading the Greek charm offensive
Taking up the Joh O'Shea role this time is former Greece star and Euro 2004 winner, Kostas Katsouranis.
He is the ambassador's for this season's final, which is in Athens. He also has extremely slow English. But this is in no way a criticism, as my Greek is non-existent.
What a partnership
Once again, presenter Pinto introduces Giorgio Marchetti.
Big man to little man, a partnership reminiscent of Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe.
Marchetti is back
Good news. UEFA vice secretary general Giorgio Marchetti is back on stage.
He's reiterating that the Conference League will be even bigger from next season. It's also officially dropping the Europa from its official name, which you'll have noticed I've not been using today anyway in anticipation of the move.
Advertisement
Bring on the Conference League giants
There's no hiding the big hitters in the Conference League this season.
Aston Villa, Fenerbahce, Lille and Fiorentina all won their group and look as strong as they come.
But Maccabi Tel Aviv, PAOK, Viktoria Plzen - the only side with a 100% record in the group stages - and Club Bruges are also among the seeds.
It's also always hard to take Ajax lightly, even if this has been a mess of a season for the Dutch giants.
As for Conference league...
It's time for the Conference League then. The draw will start in a few minutes and our experience of the Europa League tells us it'll come and go quickly.
I know, we're just not used to such efficiency.
Let's build-up with some of the teams to keep an eye out for...
Beware the eliminated Champions League trio
In terms of dark horses to win the Europa League come May, it's hard not to look at the clubs who got knocked out of the Champions League and scraped through the play-offs this week to make the knockout stages.
In that bracket you'll find a trio of teams: AC Milan, Roma and Benfica.
All three are on the unseeded side of the draw and will play away from home in their last-16 second legs, but still.
Their respective opponents are Slavia Prague, Brighton and Rangers.