Europa League Round of 16: Potential Opponents for Liverpool, West Ham, and Brighton
With the Europa League knockout round play-offs completed on Thursday night, the remaining 16 teams will learn their fate at Friday’s draw. Three Premier League teams will be in the hat after Liverpool, West Ham, and Brighton all won their groups. As did Rangers, Atalanta, Villarreal, Slavia Prague, and Bayer Leverkusen.
Seeded Teams
The eight seeded teams in Friday’s draw are Liverpool, West Ham, Brighton, Rangers, Atalanta, Villarreal, Slavia Prague, and Bayer Leverkusen. These teams finished at the top of their respective groups and will be looking to maintain their momentum in the next round.
Unseeded Teams
The eight unseeded teams that came through the knockout round play-offs are Roma, AC Milan, SC Freiburg, Sporting, Benfica, Qarabag, Sparta Prague, and Marseille. These teams finished second in their Europa League groups but managed to secure victories against the third-placed teams from the Champions League groups.
Surprising Results
It may have been expected that the Champions League teams would be favorites in the knockout round play-offs. However, six out of the eight play-offs were won by teams who had already played in the Europa League. AC Milan and Benfica were the only two teams that dropped down from the Champions League and managed to secure victories.
Europa League Last 16 Draw
The draw for the Europa League last 16 will take place on Friday, February 23rd in Nyon, Switzerland at 11pm UK time. The two-legged last 16 ties will be played on March 7th and 14th. The quarter-final draw will then take place on March 15th.
Potential Matchups
With the draw yet to take place, there are several intriguing potential matchups that could be on the cards. Liverpool, West Ham, and Brighton could face tough tests against the likes of Roma, AC Milan, or Marseille. These matchups would provide an exciting challenge for the Premier League teams.
Conclusion
As the Europa League enters the round of 16, the remaining teams await the draw to determine their opponents. With Liverpool, West Ham, and Brighton representing the Premier League, the competition is sure to be fierce. The seeded teams will be looking to maintain their strong form, while the unseeded teams will be looking to cause upsets and progress further in the tournament. Fans will eagerly await the matchups and hope for exciting and competitive ties in the next round of the Europa League.