Europa League last 16 draw date, how to watch and potential Arsenal opponents
This week, Arsenal will find out which team they will face next in the UEFA Europa League, as they managed to avoid a knockout play-off by finishing at the top of their group earlier in the season.
Despite their main focus being on winning their first Premier League title in 19 years, a successful performance in the Europa League knockout stages could boost the team’s confidence.
Prior to the World Cup break, Mikel Arteta’s squad won five out of six group matches, which resulted in them finishing two points ahead of PSV Eindhoven.
Their achievement in topping the group also means that they don’t have to play an extra round against one of the third-placed teams from the Champions League. Arsenal will continue their European campaign next month.
This is a comprehensive guide to the Europa League round of 16 draw, containing all the necessary information.
When is the draw?
On Friday, February 24, 2023, the draw for the 2022/23 Europa League group stage will occur in Nyon, Switzerland. The event will commence at 12pm BST (7am EST).
UEFA will offer a free live stream of the event on their official website, and in addition, BT Sport will also broadcast coverage of the draw.
How the last 16 round work?
For the draw, the eight group winners of the Europa League will be seeded, while the unseeded teams will be comprised of the winners from the knockout round play-offs.
In this round, Arsenal will have the advantage of playing the second leg at home.
It’s important to note that teams from the same association cannot be drawn against each other, which means that if United defeats Barcelona on Thursday, they won’t face Arsenal in the next round.
Who could Arsenal face?
Arsenal may encounter challenging opponents in the next round, and the teams they could potentially face will depend on the outcome of the second-leg matches.
The teams in consideration are Ajax or Union Berlin, Barcelona, Juventus or Nantes, Bayer Leverkusen or Monaco, RB Salzburg or AS Roma, Sevilla or PSV Eindhoven, Shakhtar or Rennes, or Sporting CP or Midtjylland.
What are the key dates?
The round of 16 games are set to take place next month, with Arsenal playing the away leg first on Thursday, March 9, followed by the home leg a week later.
The first leg will follow Arsenal’s match against Liverpool at Anfield. Their match against West Ham will be moved to Sunday afternoon, with a home fixture against Southampton following the home tie.
Where is the 2023 final?
On May 31, 2023, the final of the 2022/23 Europa League will be held at Puskás Aréna Park in Budapest.
Europa League last 16 draw date, how to watch and potential Arsenal opponents