Europa League draw LIVE: Rangers, Barcelona and Dortmund among teams in playoffs
Follow all the latest updates from the Europa League draw featuring Barcelona, Napoli, Dortmund, and Sevilla
Barcelona against Napoli is the stand out tie in the Europa League play-offs, with Rangers taking on Borussia Dortmund.
Barcelona find themselves trying to keep alive their hopes of European football after finishing third in their Champions League group behind Bayern Munich and Benfica. It is the first time since 2003-04, when Barcelona were in the UEFA Cup, that the Catalan club will not be in the knockout stages of the Champions League, a competition they have won five times. Napoli, winners of the competition in 1989, progressed from a Europa League group which included Leicester, who they beat 3-2 in the final group game in Naples.
Sevilla, who have won the competition a record six times, will have added incentive to add to that tally with this season’s final taking place at their Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium. Real Betis also see the final hosted in their home city and will play 2008 winners Zenit St Petersburg. The competition’s most successful club Sevilla were paired with Dinamo Zagreb.
Follow all the latest from the Europa League draw below.
Champions League draw
Here is that Uefa statement which blamed a “technical problem” for the draw failure.
“Following a technical problem with the software of an external service provider that instructs the officials as to which teams are eligible to play each other, a material error occurred in the draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. As a result of this, the draw has been declared void and will be entirely redone at 1500 CET.”
Champions League draw
This is the moment when Manchester United’s ball – in the second pot from the right, back row – was not included in the Atletico Madrid draw.
Champions League draw
There are going to be some very upset fans who would have reacted quickly to the draw in order to secure cheap flights and hotels, only to find out that they might now be going to wrong the place and staying in the wrong city. Perhaps Uefa can compensate those few who’ve been stung...
Champions League draw
What an extraordinary 24 hours it’s been in the world of sport. Here is our full story on one of the more bizarre events in Champions League history:
Uefa to redo Champions League draw after Manchester United ball error
Manchester United’s ball appeared to be left out from the draw to face Atletico Madrid
Champions League draw
Safe to say you won’t have seen this sort of sporting controversy since...well the F1 yesterday. But still, utterly bizarre.
Champions League draw
So just to confirm, the draw will now take place at 2pm GMT. The entirety of the original draw has been made void.
Safe to say there will be a few relieved Manchester United fans. Also safe to say a few Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City supporters may be a little angry.
Champions League draw
I must be honest, I didn’t think a Champions League draw would have this level of controversy. I’m going to have to postpone my lunch.
Champions League draw
Here is UEFA’s official statement:
“Following a technical problem with the software of an external service provider that instructs the officials as to which teams are eligible to play each other, a material error occurred in the draw for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
“As a result of this, the draw has been declared void and will be entirely redone at 1500 CET.”
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