The final round of Europa League group-phase games came to a conclusion yesterday night. We finally match ahead into the knockout stage.
Manchester United who finished the group stage matches unbeaten, Spurs and Rangers earned a straight ticket through to Europa League last 16.
With the new format of play, here are the teams that have qualified for the last 16: Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Lyon, Olympiakos, and Rangers.
Knockout phase play-offs: Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, FCSB, Ajax, Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, Roma, Ferencvaros, Viktoria Plzen, Porto, Midtjylland, Union Saint-Gilloise, AZ Alkmaar, PAOK, Twente, Fenerbahce.
On the other hand, nine teams are eliminated: Braga, Elfsborg, Hoffenheim, Besiktas, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Slavia Prague, Malmo, Rigas FC, Ludogorets, Dynamo Kyiv, Nice, Qarabag.
The teams who finished between ninth and 24th will play in two-legged play-off ties on 13 and 20 February to decide who goes through to the last 16. The draw will take place on Friday, 31 January at 12:00 GMT.
They will face an unseeded team that finished between 17th and 24th in the table – with the seeded team also having the benefit of playing the second leg at home.
Sides will also be paired together in the draw, meaning that the two sides who finished ninth and 10th will be drawn against either the 23rd or 24th-placed sides. Teams who finished 11th and 12th will be drawn against either the 21st or 22nd-placed sides, and so on.
The eight winners from the play-offs will meet the teams who finished in the top eight from the initial league phase in the last 16, where the familiar theme of knockout rounds will run all the way to the final.
