The draws for the Europa League knockout round play-offs and last 16 are set to take place on two separate dates following the final round of group stage fixtures.
Arsenal and Manchester United secured their places ahead of their last group-stage fixtures after winning four of their first five games, but there is the chance that the Red Devils will not join the Gunners in the round of 16 due to a new rule that was put in place last season.
Mirror Football tells you all you need to know about the draw for the knockout rounds of the Europa League, including when they are, how they work and who will be involved in what draw as 32 teams prepare for action.
When is the Europa League draw?
The draw for the Europa League knockout round play-offs will take place at 12pm (GMT) on Monday, November 7 at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
The draw will be broadcast via a livestream on UEFA’s website.
What are the knockout round play-offs?
Last season, UEFA introduced the knockout round play-offs to decide which eight teams would join the eight group-stage winners in the Europa League round of 16.
The knockout round play-offs are contested between the eight group stage runners-up in the Europa League and the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.
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How does the draw work?
The eight runners-up from the Europa League group stage will be seeded and placed into Pot 1, while the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage are unseeded and placed into Pot 2.
Clubs from the same country cannot be drawn against each other.
The knockout round play-offs will take place over two legs on February 16 and 23. The winners will advance to the round of 16, while the losers will be eliminated from European competition.
Who’s involved?
Pot 1 - Europa League group-stage runners-up
PSV (NED)
Rennes (FRA)
Roma (ITA)
Union Berlin (GER)
Manchester United (ENG)
Midtjylland (DEN)
Nantes (FRA)
Monaco (FRA)
Pot 2 - Third-placed sides in Champions League group stage
Ajax (NED)
Barcelona (ESP)
Bayer Leverkusen (GER)
Juventus (ITA)
Red Bull Salzburg (AUS)
Sevilla (ESP)
Shakhtar Donetsk (UKR)
Sporting Lisbon (POR)
When is the Round-of-16 draw?
Following the conclusion of the knockout round play-offs, the eight winners will be drawn against the eight sides who won their respective Europa League groups.
The draw for the Europa League knockout round play-offs will take place at 12pm (GMT) on Friday, February 24, 2023 at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Who’s involved?
Pot 1 - Group stage winners (seeded)
Arsenal (ENG)
Fenerbahce (TUR)
Real Betis (ESP)
Ferencvaros (HUN)
Freiburg (GER)
Union SG (BEL)
Real Sociedad (ESP)
Feyenoord (NED)
Pot 2 - Knockout round play-off winners (unseeded)
Eight teams be confirmed.
How does the draw work?
As with the knockout round play-offs, the draw for the last 16 follows the same rules.
Teams from the same nation cannot be drawn against each other, nor can teams who may have competed in the same group. The seeded teams (group winners) will play the first leg of their ties away from home.
The first legs of the last-16 ties will take place on Thursday, March 9, 2023, while the second legs will take place a week later on Thursday, March 16, 2023.
