Europa League draw pits United against AC Milan

Manchester United were drawn against AC Milan in the most high-profile tie in Friday’s Europa League round-of-16 draw.

The draw saw Arsenal face the side who eliminated them from the competition last season in Olympiakos, while AS Roma and Shakhtar Donetsk — Champions League regulars in recent seasons — will play one another.

Between them, United and Milan have won a total of 10 European Cup/Champions League titles. They last faced each other in the Champions League round of 16 in 2010, when United won 7-2 on aggregate.

Both sides were surprise leaders in their domestic leagues this season, but have since lost top spot to their local rivals in Manchester City and Inter Milan respectively.

Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur face Dinamo Zagreb while Slavia Prague’s prize for eliminating Leicester City is a clash with Scottish side Rangers.

Granada and Molde, who produced arguably the two most impressive results in the round of 32 in eliminating Napoli and Hoffenheim respectively, face each other in the round of 16.

Ibrahimovic became a fan favourite while at Old Trafford.

Elsewhere, Ajax are up against Young Boys while former Champions League semifinalists Dynamo Kiev and Villarreal face off.

Should Unai Emery lead Villarreal to success in this competition, he would become the first manager in men’s football to win a European competition four times, having already won three Europa League titles with Sevilla.

Tottenham’s tie with Dinamo Zagreb is expected to be reversed by UEFA to avoid a clash with fellow London side Arsenal playing at home on the same night.

There are no longer pots or seeds at this stage of the competition, so all remaining teams could have been drawn against each regardless of where they finished in their group, or whether they played in the same group or are from the same domestic league. There may be regional restrictions placed on the draw for political reasons.

UEFA will draw the quarterfinal and semifinal ties on the same day this season, scheduled for March 19.

The final will take place in Poland at the Stadion Miejski in Gdansk on Wednesday, May 26.

The draw in full:

  • Ajax v Young Boys
  • Dynamo Kiev v Villarreal
  • AS Roma v Shakhtar Donetsk
  • Olympiacos v Arsenal
  • Dinamo Zagreb v Tottenham Hotspur
  • Manchester United v AC Milan
  • Slavia Prague v Rangers
  • Granada v Molde

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