Liverpool will take on Sparta Prague in the Europa League last-16 while West Ham face familiar foe – with Brighton and Rangers handed tough draws
- The Reds are favorites to win the league and have a favorable draw
- All four British teams were qualified after winning their respective groups last year
- If Jurgen Klopp had said he was leaving 12 months ago, Mauricio Pochettino would have been a good fit at Liverpool. It all starts podcast
Liverpool drew against Sparta Prague in the eighth finals of the Europa League this season.
The draw took place on Friday morning at UEFA headquarters in Switzerland, following the second leg of the play-off rounds which concluded on Wednesday.
The Reds were one of four seeded British teams in the draw, alongside West Ham, Brighton and Rangers, who all won their groups during the qualifying stages last year.
That meant they progressed to the last 16 as seeded teams, to be drawn against unseeded sides who were successful in the play-off round this week, including AC Milan and Roma.
The Reds were awarded a favorable draw and the other sides also discovered their fate for the next round of the competition.
Liverpool drew against Sparta Prague in the last 16 of the Europa League on Friday
Brighton, meanwhile, secured a lucrative draw against Daniele De Rossi’s Roma side
West Ham will face familiar foes Freiburg after beating the German side twice in the group stages
Jürgen Klopp’s team will travel to the Czech Republic for the first leg in the week of March 7, while the return matches will take place a week later.
West Ham will face a familiar foe in the last 16, with David Moyes’ side taking on Freiburg just one round after the double over them in the group stages.
The Hammers won 2-1 in Germany in October in their second game of the competition, with Lucas Paqueta and Nayef Aguerd on the scoresheet.
Two months later, at the London Stadium, the England side recorded a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Mohammed Kudus and Edson Alvarez, which put them top of the group ahead of their opponents.
Brighton, meanwhile, have been handed a tough draw against Italian side Roma, currently managed by Daniele De Rossi, following the sacking of Jose Mourinho last month.
However, the Seagulls are not shying away from the challenge and will hope their fairytale performance in this year’s competition can continue in their first ever year in Europe.
Rangers, meanwhile, head to Portugal to take on Benfica.
AC Milan will be hopeful of success in the competition after battling their way through the play-off round, while unbeaten Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, will tackle Qarabag.
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen takes on Qarabag as the Spaniard eyes another trophy
Philippe Clement and Rangers will do their best in a difficult match against Benfica
Sporting against Atalanta and Marseille against Villarreal completed the draw, which pitted eight seeded teams (the group winners) against eight unseeded teams (the play-off winners).
Teams from the same country still could not meet.