Europa League draw: Liverpool to play Sparta Prague while Brighton are paired with Roma

Rangers will face Benfica away from home in the first leg; Conference League champions West Ham to play Freiburg

Irish former football international John O'Shea holds up the paper slip of Liverpool during the Europa League draw. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images
Irish former football international John O'Shea holds up the paper slip of Liverpool during the Europa League draw. Photograph: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Premier League leaders Liverpool have drawn Czech side Sparta Prague in the last 16 of the Europa League, while Evan Ferguson and Brighton will play Roma.

Bundesliga front-runners Bayer Leverkusen, whose manager Xabi Alonso is the subject of speculation regarding the Liverpool and Bayern Munich jobs – have been drawn against Azerbaijan’s Qarabag.

Europa Conference League holders West Ham United will face German side Freiburg.

Spain's Villarreal, the 2020-21 champions, were paired with French Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille in the draw held in Nyon, Switzerland.

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Italy's AC Milan have drawn Slavia Prague, Portuguese league leaders Benfica will play Scottish Premiership table-toppers Rangers and Portuguese side Sporting face Serie A's Atalanta in the other ties.

The Europa Conference League draw was also made on Friday, with Aston Villa set to face Ajax Amsterdam. This is Villa's first season in Europe since the 2010-11 campaign.

Europa League last-16 draw*

Sparta Prague v Liverpool

Olympique de Marseille v Villarreal

AS Roma v Brighton & Hove Albion

Benfica v Rangers

Freiburg v West Ham United

Sporting v Atalanta

AC Milan v Slavia Prague

Qarabag v Bayer Leverkusen

The first legs will be played on March 7th, except for Sporting v Atalanta, who will play their first-leg match on March 5th. The second legs will be played on March 14th.

*Team mentioned first will host the first leg

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