Europa Conference League knockout draw LIVE! Plus Champions League draw declared VOID after mistake, and Europa League draw reaction

Tottenham will be in the draw, but may not play in this round. They currently stand third in their Europa Conference League group behind Vitesse, but their final game against group winers Rennes was postponed after Spurs suffered a COVID-19 outreak.

The match has been cancelled with Spurs needing a win to qualify, and a decision hasn’t yet been made on what the official result of the game is.

They will be drawn as Tottenham/Vitesse for now, but who knows what UEFA will decide?

Like the Europa League play-offs, eight teams who finished second in their Europa Conference League groups who go up against the eight teams who finished third in their Europa League groups.

Teams from the same country can’t be drawn against one another, so Randers can’t play Midtjylland, for instance, as both are from Denmark. But you knew that.

First, though, we’ve got the Europa Conference League draw, which is starting now – you can watch it here.

BREAKING: Champions League draw declared void

Big Ballgate news! (That is catching on, right?)

UEFA will redraw the whole Champions League last-16 draw after the hiccough with the Manchester United balls earlier today.

The draw will happen at 2pm, and you can follow it all here.

Back to the Europa Conference League draw though, if we must.

Here are the teams they’ll be pairing up today:

Europa Conference League play-off knockout teams

Seeded

Bodø/Glimt (NOR)

Maccabi Tel-Aviv (ISR)

PAOK (GRE)

Partizan (SRB)

Qarabağ (AZE)

Randers (DEN)

Slavia Praha (CZE)

Tottenham (ENG) / Vitesse (NED)

Unseeded

Celtic (SCO)

Fenerbahçe (TUR)

Leicester City (ENG)

Marseille (FRA)

Midtjylland (DEN)

PSV Eindhoven (NED)

Rapid Wien (AUT)

Sparta Praha (CZE)

We’re all just looking for the silliest and most exciting fairest conclusion, here.

This Man United Champions League draw mistake brouhaha (we need a catchier name, incidentally. Does Ballgate work for everyone?) is rumbling on.

According to respected Spanish journalist Guillem Balague, Villarreal want the draw re-done, though if it is, Real Madrid want it to re-start after their fixture…

Europa Conference League knockout play-off draw up next. Get excited, Leicester fans. Be confused, Spurs fans.

Actually, Leicester fans, you can be confused, too.

As an aside, here’s what Barça looked like the last time they got knocked out of the Champions League and into the then-UEFA Cup.

Yes that’s Pep Guardiola and Pepe Reina. Yes, they have hair.

Barcelona vs Napoli is the other standout tie from the draw – famous teams with proud attacking identities, and one of them won’t be making the last 16…

Rangers were the only British team in that draw, with West Ham receiving a bye into the next round as group winners – but what a fixture the Scottish champions have been thrown up.

They will play Borussia Dortmund, with the first leg at the Westfalenstadion on February 17, before playing at Ibrox on February 24.

Two iconic stadiums renowned for their atmosphere – a really great tie for the neutrals. Hopefully Rangers fans aren’t too put out they missed a chance to go to Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova…

And that’s it for the Europa League draw! Here’s those fixtures in full:

Europa League knockout play-off fixtures

Eighth confirmed game: Porto vs Lazio

Seventh confirmed game: Sheriff vs Braga

Sixth confirmed game: Borussia Dortmund vs Rangers

The atmosphere at those games will be amazing. Great draw.

Borussia Dortmund out the pot now…

Fifth confirmed: Zenit Saint Petersburg vs Real Betis

Zenit St Petersburg now drawn.

Fourth confirmed game: Barcelona vs Napoli

The Maradona derby! That will be a great couple of fixtures.

Barcelona drawn next!

Third confirmed game: RB Leipzig vs Real Sociedad

Next unseeded team… RB Leipzig.

Second confirmed game: Atalanta vs Olympiacos

Atalanta the next unseeded team drawn.

First confirmed game: Sevilla vs Dinamo Zagreb

Unseeded clubs are drawn first – they will play first legs at home.

Sevilla are drawn first! Wonder what Andres will make of their draw…

We’re ready to begin the draw!

The first leg fixtures will be played on February 17, with the second legs a week later on February 24.

The Sevilla legend helping pick the balls out of the pot is former goalkeeper Andrés Palop, who made over 200 appearances for Sevilla and speaks Spanish at a truly frightening rate for translators.

Spanish sides Barcelona and Sevilla are joint favourites to lift the trophy this year, having both dropped into the competition after finishing third in their respective Champions League groups.

Betfair has them both at 6/1, and here’s the other Europa League betting odds:

Barcelona – 6/1
Sevilla – 6/1
Borussia Dortmund – 7/1
Napoli – 7/1
West Ham – 11-1
RB Leipzig – 11/1
Atalanta – 11/1

All odds are via Betfair, and you get up to £100 in free bets if you sign up today.

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The Europa League final this year is in Seville – so will we get a Sevilla legend for the draw?

Back on the Champions League draw for a moment – did Manchester United get excluded from being drawn against Atletico Madrid by mistake? It certainly looks like it. They then got one of the toughest draws of the round…

The full story on the potential Champions League draw mistake is here.

What’s the Europa League play-off format?

This is the play-off round of 16 teams to determine who goes into the actual Europa League round of 16 – got it?

The seeded teams are those that finished second in the eight Europa League groups, while the unseeded teams are those that finished third in the eight Champions League groups. 

Those that finished top of their Europa League group, like West Ham, are not in the play-offs and go straight through to the round of 16.

If you’ve noticed this is a bit different from previous years, then well done! You’ve been paying attention to UEFA’s secondary competition in recent years, which usually goes into a round of 32 at this stage. But with the introduction of much-celebrated [subs please check] Europa Conference League, which has reduced the number of Europa League groups, we have this new format this season. 

No two teams from the same country can be drawn against each other in this round, so we won’t be getting Real Betis or Real Sociedad against Barcelona or Sevilla, Braga against Porto, or Lazio/Napoli against Atalanta.

We’re now just 10 minutes away from the Europa League play-off draw! It starts at 12pm GMT, and you can find out how to watch it live here.

Europa League play-off teams

Seeded teams

Betis (ESP)

Braga (POR)

Dinamo Zagreb (CRO)

Lazio (ITA)

Napoli (ITA)

Olympiacos (GRE)

Rangers (SCO)

Real Sociedad (ESP)

Unseeded teams

Atalanta (ITA)

Barcelona (ESP)

Dortmund (GER)

Leipzig (GER)

Porto (POR)

Sevilla (ESP)

Sheriff (MDA)

Zenit (RUS)

Here’s the fixtures again, but in a lovely graphic.

Champions League last-16 fixtures

Liverpool fans will probably be the happiest of the English clubs with their draw. Salzburg finished second to Lille in their underwhelming group, and are the first Austrian side to reach the knockout stages. It would be a hell of an upset if Jurgen Klopp’s side don’t make the quarters.

Manchester City have been drawn against Villarreal, last season Europa League winners managed by former Arsenal boss Unai Emery.

As rivals United would attest, as the beaten Europa League finalists, Villarreal should not be taken lightly – though, like Lille, they are struggling in the domestic league this season, and are currently 13th.

You shouldn’t bet against a City win here.

Chelsea vs Lille might look like a favourable draw for Thomas Tuchel’s team, but Lille did win Ligue 1 last season…

Thought it’s also worth pointing out they have fallen off the pace this season, and are currently 11th.

PSG vs Manchester United will surely be the tie that catches everyone’s eye for this round, with Mauricio Pochettino being regularly linked with moving to the job at Old Trafford in the summer.

That will add a bit of spice to the fixture: he seems unhappy in Paris, and his team has not been performing as the fans might expect from a side featuring Messi, Mbappe and Neymar. But would knocking United out of the Champions League improve his chances of landing the job or not.

That’s all from the Champions League draw – next up is the Europa League play-off draw at 12pm GMT, but we’ll have some reflections on what we’ve just seen before that.

Champions League last-16 fixtures confirmed

Benfica vs Real Madrid

Villarreal vs Manchester City

Atletico Madrid vs Bayern Munich

Salzburg vs Liverpool

Inter Milan vs Ajax

Sporting vs Juventus

Chelsea vs Lille

PSG vs Manchester United

The first legs will be played on February 15, 16, 22 and 23, and the second legs will be played on March 8, 9, 15 and 16, 2022. In the UK, all will be broadcast live on BT Sport.

Chelsea vs Lille now confirmed.

PSG vs Man United is the final one. Oof! Poch vs Ralf.

Chelsea now drawn out – they’ll get Lille, as they can’t be drawn against Man United,

Sporting vs Juventus the next tie.

Sporting Lisbon now drawn out. Man United or Juventus for them.

Inter Milan vs… Ajax! That could be a very fun couple of games.

Inter Milan the next unseeded side drawn

Salzburg vs Liverpool. That’s surely one of the best draws Reds could have hoped for.

Fourth unseeded side picked out is Salzburg.

Atletico Madrid vs Bayern Munich in the third game.

Atletico Madrid picked out for the third game.

Manchester United picked out but they were in the same group, so it’s drawn again.

And Manchester City is picked out!

Manchester City vs Villarreal is the second game.

Villarreal drawn next.

Playing Benfica is… Real Madrid. Ancelotti happy with that one, you’d think.

First unseeded team drawn is… Benfica!

The unseeded teams will play the first leg at home, if you’re wondering.

Arshavin says his fondest Champions League memory is when Arsenal beat « the strongest Barcelona team at the Emirates, and I scored the goal ».

Yeah, fair enough.

Next year’s final is in Saint Peterburg, Russia – so we’ve got former Arsenal attacker and native Saint Peterburgian Andrey Arshavin to help pick the balls.

And we’re off! UEFA deputy general secretary Giorgio Marchetti is currently talking us through statistics and facts from the group stage. That’s our job, Giorgio.

You can watch the draw here.

Adidas and UEFA have released a new Champions League ball for the knockout stages this morning – and it’s a good looking thing. It’ll be released on the Adidas shop soon.

The first legs will be played on February 15, 16, 22 and 23 ,and the second legs will be played on March 8, 9, 15 and 16 2022. In the UK, all will be broadcast live on BT Sport.

The first knockout round regularly throws up brilliant ties, by the way.

Last season saw Porto beat Juventus on away goals, after a 4-4 aggregate score.

Two years ago we had Man City knocking out Real Madrid, and Atletico beating Liverpool at this stage. 

The year before that had loads of excitement: Manchester United’s last-gasp winner over PSG that secured Solskjaer the manager’s job, Spurs’ 4-0 aggregate demolition of Dortmund en route to the final, Ajax tearing apart Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, Liverpool knocking out Bayern, and Man City racking up 10 goals against Schalke over two legs.

Manchester City are the current bookies’ favourites for the Champions League this season, with Betfair offering 3/1 for them to finally lift Europe’s elite trophy, having failed at the final hurdle last year.

Here’s a quick rundown of the favourites – or see our full story on Champions League winners odds here.

Man City – 3/1
Bayern Munich – 4/1
Liverpool – 5/1
PSG – 13/2
Chelsea – 9/1
Man United – 14/1
Real Madrid – 14/1
Ajax – 14/1
Juventus – 25/1
Atletico Madrid – 33/1

All odds are via Betfair, and you get up to £100 in free bets if you sign up today.

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A pretty simple format here: seeded sides are drawn against non-seeded sides, and no two sides from the same country can be drawn against each other – so no chance of seeing Chelsea go up against Liverpool, Manchester City or Manchester United, for instance.

These are the teams going into the Champions League last-16 draw:

Group winners (seeded)

Ajax (NED)

Bayern (GER)

Juventus (ITA)

Liverpool (ENG)

Lille (FRA)

Manchester City (ENG)

Manchester United (ENG)

Real Madrid (ESP)

Group runners-up (unseeded)

Atletico Madrid (ESP)

Benfica (POR)

Chelsea (ENG)

Inter (ITA)

Paris Saint-Germain (FRA)

Salzburg (AUT)

Sporting CP (POR)

Villarreal (ESP)

Looking to watch the Champions League draw with your own beady eyes? We’ve got you covered here. Working from home has its perks.

Here’s your rough guide for the day:

11am GMT: The Champions League last-16 draw, including English teams Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and current holders Chelsea, plus a couple of other sides you might have of, such as Real Madrid and Juventus.

12pm GMT: The Europa League play-off draw. This is slightly modified on previous seasons, featuring teams who finished second in the Europa League groups, plus third in the Champions League groups – but not Europa League group winners such as West Ham. You will see Rangers though, who could face the likes of Barcelona or Borussia Dortmund.

1pm GMT: The Europa Conference League play-off draw. If you don’t know what it is, don’t worry! Neither does Brendan Rodgers, and Leicester are in it. Also, we’ll explain all before the draw happens. You’ll want to keep an eye out for Leicester, Celtic and Tottenham (who are technically in the draw, but may be knocked out before the fixtures take place – don’t worry, we’ll explain that too).

It’s a big ol’ day in the football season today – we’ve got the Champions League last-16 draw, the Europa League play-off draw and, wait for it, the Europa Conference League play-off draw back-to-back!

We’ll be guiding you through the whole journey, explaining what’s what, and revealing why you should be so ruddy excited about it all.