Europa League last 32: Manchester United face Real Sociedad, Arsenal play Benfica
Written by News on 14/12/2020
Manchester United will play La Liga leaders Real Sociedad in the last 32 of the Europa League, while Arsenal face Portuguese giants Benfica.
United, winners in 2017 under Jose Mourinho, dropped into the draw after their elimination from the Champions League – and now face Real Sociedad in a tie that is set to see former player Adnan Januzaj and ex-Manchester City midfielder David Silva return to Old Trafford.
Mourinho’s Tottenham will play Wolfsberger, who currently sit seventh in the Austrian league.
Leicester City, in the last 32 for the first time, play Slavia Prague, while Rangers face Antwerp of Belgium.
All five British teams were seeded and will play the first leg away from home on February 18, 2021, before the return fixtures on February 25.
Tottenham’s home match will be on a Wednesday, a day early, so that there is not a clash with Arsenal’s game in London.
The winners of the competition will qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Europa League last-32 draw in full
Wolfsberger vs Tottenham
Dynamo Kiev vs Club Brugge
Real Sociedad vs Manchester United
Benfica vs Arsenal
Red Star Belgrade vs AC Milan
Royal Antwerp vs Rangers
Slavia Prague vs Leicester
Salzburg vs Villarreal
Braga vs Roma
Krasnodar vs Dinamo Zagreb
Young Boys vs Bayer Leverkusen
Molde vs Hoffenheim
Granada vs Napoli
Maccabi Tel-Aviv vs Shakhtar Donetsk
Lille vs Ajax
Olympiakos vs PSV
What was the draw format?
The draw comprised of 12 group winners, 12 group runners-up and eight third-placed sides from the Champions League who dropped into the Europa League knockout phase.
The clubs were split into two pots, with the 12 group winners and the four teams with the best Champions League record all seeded.
No team can play a club from their Europa League group or a side from the same national association at this stage, meaning there is no all-Premier League tie just yet.
The ties will take place over two legs, with the seeded teams at home in the second legs.
What are the key dates?
February 18 & 25, 2021: Round of 32
March 11 & 18, 2021: Round of 16
April 8 & 15, 2021: Quarter-finals
April 29 & May 6, 2021: Semi-finals
May 26: Final (Gdansk, Poland)
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Europa League last 32: Manchester United face Real Sociedad, Arsenal play Benfica
