Europa League draw: Liverpool return to scene of their greatest triumph after drawing Besiktas
The Reds, who failed to make it out of their Champions League group, were handed a return to the Ataturk Arena
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is set to return to the scene of his greatest triumph in Istanbul – but will be hoping to avoid another costly slip when coming up against Demba Ba and Besiktas in the last 32 of the Europa League.
The Reds, who failed to make it out of their Champions League group, were handed a return to the Ataturk Arena, where they famously won the European Cup under Rafa Benitez in 2005. Jerzy Dudek, their goalkeeper on that occasion, assisted with yesterday’s draw.
Celtic, meanwhile, were given a fearsome last-32 draw against Internazionale, the club Jock Stein’s “Lisbon Lions” famously beat in the 1967 European Cup final.
While Gerrard inspired the Liverpool comeback on their own historic night in Turkey, the former England captain will need no reminding of what happened the last time he faced former Chelsea frontman Ba, when he lost his footing to gift the Senegal striker the opening goal at Anfield in a 2-0 defeat in late April. That slip proved so costly as the title dream faded for Brendan Rodgers’ side.
Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who was also part of the 2005 final team, warned there should be no complacency against Besiktas, who are managed by Slaven Bilic and topped their group ahead of Tottenham.
“Besiktas is not an easy draw – away to Turkey is a very tough place to go, it’s usually a very hostile crowd,” he said.
Like Celtic, Tottenham will face Italian opposition in the form of Fiorentina, while Everton were drawn against Swiss side Young Boys in the first tie out of the Uefa pots.
Everton club ambassador Ian Snodin confidently targeted going all the way to the final in Warsaw. “Spectators have travelled in their thousands to Lille and to Wolfsburg and the players are enjoying it, but first and foremost you want to win the competition. Everton need some silverware, it’s been a long time,” the former Toffees midfielder said.
Seville, the competition’s last defending champions as this season’s winners will instead qualify for the Champions League, face Borussia Monchengladbach.
Europa League: Last-32 draw
Young Boys v Everton
Torino v Athletic Bilbao
Seville v Borussia M’gladbach
Wolfsburg v Sporting
Ajax v Legia Warsaw
AaB v Club Brugge
Anderlecht v Dinamo Moscow
Dnipro v Olympiakos
Trabzonspor v Napoli
Guingamp v Dynamo Kiev
Villarreal v SV Red Bull Salzburg
Roma v Feyenoord
PSV v Zenit St Petersburg
Liverpool v Besiktas
Tottenham Hotspur v Fiorentina
Celtic v Internazionale
Games will be played on 19 and 26 February
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