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Europa League last-16 draw


Manchester United were handed the dream Europe League last-16 tie after drawing Austrian league leaders LASK.


United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted he was 'worried' about being pitted against either Inter Milan or Roma following an alarming increase in the number of coronavirus cases in Italy.


And United managed to avoid both the big-hitters as well as Sevilla - another one of the tournament's favourites - after discovering they would be playing LASK - the lowest ranked team left in the competition in terms of UEFA's coefficient.


United will fancy their chances of progressing, having come into the draw as the highest ranked side and off the back of a 5-0 mauling over Club Brugge, who had drawn the first leg 1-1.


LASK will be playing in this stage of the competition for the first time in their history after triumphing 3-1 over AZ Alkmaar in the previous round.


Arsenal's conquerors Olympiacos, meanwhile, will be bidding to have another Premier League casualty on their resume after getting Wolves.


The Greek side ensured their place in Friday afternoon's draw in Switzerland after Youssef El-Arabi grabbed a last-gasp winner in the dying embers of extra-time at the Emirates Stadium.


Wolves enjoyed a more relaxed evening on Thursday as they eased past Espanyol 6-3 over the two legs despite defeat in Spain.


Two of the tournaments frontrunners in Sevilla and Roma will face off in what is arguably the biggest tie of the last-16.


While Steven Gerrard's Rangers - the last remaining Scottish side in Europe - face a daunting clash with Bayer Leverkusen.


Elsewhere, Inter Milan face an intriguing test against Getafe, who are going well in La Liga and knocked out last season's Champions League semi-finalists Ajax in the last round.


Wolfsburg were paired with Shakhtar Donetsk in the other notable tie of the round while Istanbul Basaksehir play Copenhagen.


The winner of Red Bull Salzburg and Eintracth Frankfurt, who will play their second leg on Friday after Thursday's match was called off due to adverse weather conditions, will go head-to-head with Basle in the last-16.


The first leg of the last-16 ties are scheduled to be played on March 12 with the return leg a week later on March 19.

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