UEFA Europa League round of 16 is finally here!!!

February 23, 2018

Just like UEFA Champions League, UEFA EUROPA League is another Beautiful European football that sparkles whenever it is drawn.
16 teams have now be left to Battle it out till they end.
This Season even look much more exciting, on Paper already, as top teams that were unlucky in the UEFA Champions League were eliminated early from the Campaign.
The Draws;
Lazio will face Dynamo Kiev
RB Leipzig will battle it out with Zenit
Athletico Madrid face Lokomotiv Moskva
CSKA Moskva vs Lyon
Marseille will battle Athletic Club
Sporting Lisbon face Plzen
Dortmund vs high scoring Salzburg
Milan vs Arsenal

Most of the teams have not faced each other before, but there are familiar foes who will battle it out yet again.
The last time Athletico Madrid faced Locomotiv Moskva was in 2007/08 Uefa Cup Group Stage. It ended 3-3 at Moskow, where Sergio Aguero scored twice for Athletico Madrid.
Lazio beat Dynamo Kyiv home (2-1) and Away (1-0) in the 1999/ 2000 at Champions League first Group Stage. They look likely to replicate same, when they meet again.
Though, there are few teams that are favorites already, but the clash between Milan vs Arsenal will be the team the football nations will be looking forward to watching.
Apart from their Pedigree, they also have history together.
The last time they both faced each other in this competition, Ac Milan humiliated Arsenal 4-0 at San Siro. But Arsenal on the other hand, knocked AC Milan out of the 2007/08 Champions League, Scoring two late goals in the San Siro second leg to win 2-0 on aggregate. And, the last time Arsenal reached the UEFA Cup final was in 1999/2000.
Peter Stoger, Dortmund Coach has this to say after the draw;
“As an Austrian Coach, it is a special occasion to play against an Austrian team. It is a good challenge to play against Salzburg”.
Leipzig Coach, Hasenhuttl said;
Zenit is a real challenge for us, one we will look forward to preparing for.”
Marseille Coach;
Like our last opponent, it wasn’t long ago we last faced Athletic Club in the last 32 of the 2015/16 Europa League. Once more, we look forward to two great games in Marseille and Bilbao.”
This is absolutely going to be a Cracker!!!

@dafunzee

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