AC Milan vs Manchester United lights up Europa League last 16 draw

Manchester United reached the last-16 with a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win over Real Sociedad. (Reuters/File Photo)

London: Seven-time European champions AC Milan have been drawn to play Manchester United in what is the standout tie in next month's Europa League round of 16. Ajax Amsterdam, the four-time European champions, will take on Swiss club Young Boys, while Arsenal face Greek side Olympiakos and Tottenham Hotspur, the third English club to reach the last 16, will tackle Dinamo Zagreb.

Slavia Prague's reward for knocking out Leicester City is a two-legged tie against Scottish champions-elect Rangers. European debutants Granada of Spain will face Norwegian club Molde while AS Roma face a tough tie against seasoned European contenders Shakhtar Donetsk. Three-time semi-finalists Villarreal take on Dynamo Kiev. No German or French clubs made it to the last 16. 

 AC Milan await in the #UEL last 16...

What do you make of that draw? #MUFC

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 26, 2021

The ties will take place on March 11 and 18 with this season's final taking place in Gdansk where the eventual winners will take a place in next season's Champions League.

A clash between Milan and three-time European champions United will loom large over the last 16 for several reasons. The clubs have met in three European Cup semi-finals, Milan winning all of them, but have not faced each other since 2010 when United won 7-2 on aggregate in the last 16 of the Champions League. It will also mean Milan`s veteran Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be up against his old club.

United, second in the Premier League, reached the last-16 with a comfortable 4-0 aggregate win over Real Sociedad while Milan, second in Serie A, struggled past Red Star Belgrade, winning on away goals.

For Tottenham and Arsenal, the Europa League offers their most likely routes into the Champions League as they are ninth and 11th respectively in the Premier League. Arsenal needed a late goal by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Thursday to see them past Benfica 4-3 on aggregate while Tottenham convincingly beat Austrian side Wolfsberg.

Arsenal will return to Athens for the second round in succession after the "home" leg of their tie against Benfica on Thursday was played at Olympiakos' stadium because of Covid-19 travel restrictions.