Manchester United and Tottenham have learned their Europa League last-16 opponents, and the results of their final group stage games have made the draw even tougher.
Both Premier League sides secured important wins to bypass the play-off round. United triumphed 2-0 over Romanian side FCSB, with Diogo Dalot and Kobbie Mainoo on target, while Spurs comfortably dispatched Swedish outfit IF Elfsborg at home, finishing with a 4-0 scoreline. Despite the victories, their positions in the group table, with United finishing third and Spurs fourth, have landed them with tougher potential opponents in the knockout stage.
Due to their league positions, both teams will face one of the four teams—Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, FC Midtjylland, or AZ Alkmaar—who will compete in the play-off round. The irony is that had either side lost their final matches, they could have faced weaker teams, as Real Sociedad and Galatasaray remain two of the toughest sides in the competition.
The Europa League draw, which will take place on Friday, will determine which two of these four sides will face Spurs and United.
In addition to the Premier League pair, Rangers also secured a spot in the last-16 after their 2-1 win over Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, meaning the Scottish side will face a selection of strong teams, including Anderlecht, Bodo/Glimt, Twente, or Fenerbahce. Rangers could avoid a reunion with former manager José Mourinho, whose Fenerbahce side now looms in the potential mix.
The draw also determines the remaining 16 clubs, who will battle for eight places in the quarterfinals. Big names like Ajax, Porto, Roma, and Lazio also sit in the play-offs, adding further excitement to the road ahead in the Europa League.
