The draw for the round of 16 of the new-look UEFA Europa League was made on Friday, Feb. 21.
But how does it all knit together? And why were those final league phase positions so important?
Here’s how it all works.
Which clubs are in the round of 16?
The clubs that finished in the top eight went directly through to the round of 16.
The 16 teams that finished in positions nine to 24 entered the knockout playoff round, with eight advancing to the round of 16.
Ajax Amsterdam (KO-PO)
AS Roma (KO-PO)
Athletic Club
AZ Alkmaar (KO-PO)
Bodo/Glimt (KO-PO)
Eintracht Frankfurt
FCSB (KO-PO)
Fenerbahce (KO-PO)
Lazio
Lyon
Manchester United
Olympiacos
Rangers
Real Sociedad (KO-PO)
Tottenham Hotspur
Viktoria Plzen (KO-PO)
What was the round of 16 draw?
The seeded teams, on the right, will be at home in the second leg.
Viktoria Plzen vs. Lazio
Bodo/Glimt vs. Olympiacos
Ajax vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
AZ Alkmaar vs. Tottenham Hotspur
AS Roma vs. Athletic Club
Fenerbahce vs. Rangers
FCSB vs. Lyon
Real Sociedad vs. Manchester United
What are the round of 16 fixture dates?
First legs: March 4-5
Second legs: March 11-12
Each club plays once on a Tuesday and once on a Wednesday.
How does the bracket work?
As of this season, there is no draw to create the quarterfinal and semifinal fixtures. It’s all been set by the final league positions (see more below), plus the limited draws to place teams into the bracket.
It means every team now knows their possibility opponents — and who they can’t come up against — right through to the final.
Man United and Tottenham cannot face each other until the final, as they are in opposite halves.
So there’s no country protection?
No. Clubs from the same country can play each other from the knockout playoff round onward.
What dates are the other rounds?
QUARTERFINALS
First legs: April 10
Second legs: April 17
SEMIFINALS
First legs: May 1
Second legs: May 8
FINAL
May 21, San Mamés Stadium, Bilbao
Who gets home advantage in the quarterfinals and semifinals?
The tie listed first plays at home in the first leg.
QUARTERFINALS
Bodo/Glimt or Olympiacos vs. Viktoria Plzen or Lazio
AZ Alkmaar or Tottenham Hotspur vs. Ajax or Eintracht Frankfurt
Fenerbahce or Rangers vs. AS Roma or Athletic Club
FCSB or Lyon vs. Real Sociedad or Manchester United
SEMIFINALS
AZ Alkmaar / Tottenham Hotspur / Ajax / Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Bodo/Glimt / Olympiacos / Viktoria Plzen / Lazio
Fenerbahce / Rangers / AS Roma / Athletic Club vs. FCSB / Lyon / Real Sociedad / Manchester United
Why did it matter where a club finished in the table?
The league placings created the knockout bracket and the new “seeding” system means the highest-placed teams can’t face each other until the latter stages of the knockout round.
For instance, if we look at the final table, Lazio and Athletic Club finished in first and second and can’t play each other until the final. The teams in third and fourth — Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur — can’t play Lazio and Athletic Club until the semifinals.
All paired teams, such as Man United and Tottenham, cannot meet until the final and have the same possible round-of-16 opponents: Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar and FC Midtjylland.
