NYON, Switzerland: Manchester United were paired with Real Betis in the round of 16 of the Europa League on Friday, giving the 2017 champions another Spanish opponent after eliminating Barcelona.
United will host the fifth-place Spanish team on March 9 in the first leg at Old Trafford, where Barcelona were beaten 2-1 on Thursday to complete a 4-3 aggregate victory.
“They are a playing team, a skillful team,” Man United manager Erik ten Hag said of Betis, who his team played in a friendly during the mid-season break for the World Cup. “You know what you get from Spanish football. We also played Real Sociedad this season and so we know (that) only when you play your best, you have a chance to survive.”
The last Ukrainian team left in this season’s European competitions, Shakhtar Donetsk, were drawn to face Dutch league leader Feyenoord. Shakhtar will have three defenders suspended for the first leg they will host in neighboring Poland because of the Russian military invasion of Ukraine.
Premier League leader Arsenal will face Sporting Lisbon, with the first leg played in Portugal.
Arsenal were seeded in the draw because they were among the eight winners of Europa League groups, and those teams play the second leg at home. Unseeded teams hosting the first leg came through the playoff round, which involved Europa League group runners-up and teams which placed third in a Champions League group.
Juventus were paired with Freiburg and six-time champion Sevilla will be at home first against Fenerbahce. Union Berlin will have a reunion with Union Saint-Gilloise after they also met twice in the group stage.
Roma, coached by José Mourinho, will play Real Sociedad, while Bayer Leverkusen were paired with Ferencvaros.
Ferencvaros will host the second leg at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, the stadium that will also stage the Europa League final on May 31.
In the round of 16 of the third-tier Europa Conference League, Villarreal — a Champions League semifinalist last season — were paired with Anderlecht while Fiorentina will host the first leg against Sivasspor.
In other matches, West Ham travel to Cyprus for the first leg against AEK Larnaca, Sheriff will host Nice in Moldova, and Lazio are at home first against AZ Alkmaar, potentially on March 7 to avoid a clash at Stadio Olimpico with Roma’s game in the Europa League.
Also, it was: Lech Poznan vs. Djurgarden; Basel vs. Slovan Bratislava; and Gent vs. Istanbul Basaksehir.
The Europa Conference League final is scheduled for June 7 in Prague.
Man United drawn with Real Betis in last 16 of Europa League
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Man United drawn with Real Betis in last 16 of Europa League
- United will host the fifth-place Spanish team on March 9 in the first leg at Old Trafford
- Premier League leader Arsenal will face Sporting Lisbon, with the first leg played in Portugal
Man United climb to third, Fulham sink sorry Spurs
- Red Devils have taken their tally to 19 points from a possible 21
LONDON: Benjamin Sesko stretched his hot streak with the winning goal as Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to go third in the Premier League, while Tottenham failed to dispel relegation fears after defeat at Fulham.
Sesko was handed his first start in seven games since Michael Carrick took charge at Old Trafford and rewarded his boss with another vital goal to edge United closer to a return to the Champions League.
Palace had taken an early lead at Old Trafford when Maxence Lacroix outmuscled Leny Yoro to guide in a header from Brennan Johnson’s corner.
But United hit back to remain unbeaten under Carrick and take their tally to 19 points from a possible 21.
The game swung on one incident as Lacroix was sent off and conceded a penalty for pulling back Matheus Cunha just before the hour mark.
Bruno Fernandes confidently stroked the resulting spot kick past former teammate Dean Henderson.
Fernandes was then the creator for the second as his curling cross was powered in by Sesko.
The Slovenian has now scored seven times in his last eight appearances to quieten critics of his £74 million ($100 million) price tag after a slow start to his career in England.
Tottenham remain perilously poised just four points above the relegation zone as interim boss Igor Tudor again failed to halt their alarming slide after a 2-1 defeat at Craven Cottage.
Harry Wilson and Alex Iwobi gave Fulham a deserved half-time lead as they moved up to ninth and back into contention for European football next season.
Richarlison headed in a late consolation for Tottenham, but they remain the only Premier League side without a win in 2026.
The one crumb of comfort for Spurs was defeat for relegation rivals Nottingham Forest, 2-1 at Brighton.
All three goals arrived in the first 15 minutes as Diego Gomez and Danny Welbeck netted for the Seagulls either side of Morgan Gibbs-White’s reply.
Forest sit two points above the drop zone ahead of a daunting trip to Manchester City on Wednesday.
