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      Fuming fans say Europa League draw is ‘rigged’ after Liverpool land ‘best team they could have got’

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      FOOTBALL fans accused the Europa League draw of being “rigged” after English clubs discovered their last-16 opponents.Liverpool, Brighton and West Ham were all in the hat for the draw on Friday having won their respective groups before Christmas.
      Some fans were thoroughly unhappy with the Europa League draw
      Their success in the group stage meant they would be pitted against a team that had come through the play-off round – which they entered either as group runners-up or after dropping down from the Champions League.
      And Liverpool earned themselves a favourable draw as they will take on Sparta Prague.
      But West Ham and Brighton have been handed tougher paths, with The Hammers facing Bundesliga side Freiburg and The Seagulls coming up against Italian giants Roma.
      This led to many fans flocking to social media to rage about the draw.
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      One said: “Rigged tournament.”
      Another added: “Rigged the draw.”
      While a West Ham fan replied: “So rigged hahaha, we have no chance.”
      But one Liverpool supporter was over the moon as they responded: “Sparta Prague, best draw we could’ve got. So happy about it.”
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      Meanwhile, others were baffled by the rules of the draw as Qarabag were paired with Bayer Leverkusen despite the pair being in the same group.
      A social media user said: “They met in the group stage? This is so rigged man.”
      ‘Very good, I like that’ says Europa League draw host after Man Utd icon John O’Shea’s cheeky joke live on TV
      Europa Conference League holders West Ham and Freiburg also faced off in the group stage, with David Moyes’ men claiming two victories.
      The first-leg ties will take place on March 7, with the return legs seven days later.
      Rangers will continue their European journey with a tough fixture against Benfica.
      And French heavyweights Marseille will take on 2021 Europa League winners Villarreal.
      Nobody offered any proof for their suggestions that the draw was rigged.
      See the full draw below…
      Here is the Europa League last-16 draw More

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      Europa League draw LIVE: Liverpool land dream tie, West Ham face Germans, Rangers take on Portuguese giants – reaction

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      THE Europa League last-16 draw has concluded at the Uefa headquarters in Switzerland – and there are some mouth-watering ties for British clubs to look forward to.Liverpool will face Czech champions Sparta Prague while West Ham take on German side Freiburg.
      Brighton take on Italian giants Roma and Rangers will go head-to-head with Benfica.
      Elsewhere, Premier League high-flyers Aston Villa face Ajax in the Europa Conference League last-16.

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      Villa’s trip to Ajax
      Villa’s trip to Ajax in the Europa Conference League could have a huge bearing on their race for top four.
      They will travel to Amsterdam on March 7, before hosting Spurs at Villa Park three days later on Sunday March 10.
      The game against Tottenham will be at 1pm too,further minimising turnaround time for the Villains.
      The two clubs are the current favourites for finishing fourth and the games being so close together could affect Unai Emery’s team selection.
      Credit: Getty
      Copy linkCopiedEuropa Conference League fixtures
      Here’s when Aston Villa play next in the Europa Conference League:
      March 7:
      Ajax vs Aston Villa
      March 14:
      Aston Villa vs Ajax
      Copy linkCopiedEuropa League fixtures
      Here’s the full schedule of the British teams’ upcoming Europa League fixtures:
      March 7, 8pm:

      Benfica vs Rangers
      Roma vs Brighton
      Freiburg vs West Ham
      Sparta Prague vs Liverpool

      March 14, 8pm:

      Rangers vs Benfica
      Brighton vs Roma
      West Ham vs Freiburg
      Liverpool vs Sparta Prague

      Copy linkCopiedLiverpool’s injury worries
      Liverpool are sweating on the fitness of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szoboszlai ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup Final.
      Forwards Salah and Nunez were both injured during last Saturday’s win at Brentford and missed the midweek over Luton, while midfield man Szoboszlai has missed four matches with a hamstring injury.
      But Liverpool’s assistant boss Pep Lijnders says he hopes the trio will be fit for the Wembley clash with Chelsea.
      Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Diogo Jota and Alisson are all out for at least another month.
      This comes after the Merseysiders drew Sparta Prague in the Europa League’s Last 16 with their first match set for March 7 in the Czech Republic.
      With Dom, Darwin and Mo we have to really see. We have two more days and we will check if they are there. It would be great if they can be ready.Pep Lijnders
      Copy linkCopiedEuropa Conference League draw
      Here’s the full draw of the Europa Conference League Last 16 draw:

      Servette vs Viktoria Plzen
      Ajax vs Aston Villa
      Molde vs Club Brugge
      Union Saint-Gilloise vs Fenerbahce
      Dinamo Zagreb vs PAOK
      Sturm Graz vs Lille
      Maccabi Haifa vs Fiorentina
      Olympiacos vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

      Copy linkCopiedEuropa Conference League draw
      Aston Villa have drawn Ajax in the Europa Conference League’s Last 16.
      The first game will take place away in Amsterdam before the second leg at Villa Park.
      Copy linkCopiedEuropa Conference League next
      Aston Villa are the next British club to find out their opponents in Europe.
      But Villa will be playing in the Last 16 of the Europa Conference League.
      Here are their potential opponents:

      Ajax
      Dinamo Zagreb
      Maccabi Haifa
      Molde
      Olympiacos
      Servette
      Sturm Graz
      Union SG

      Copy linkCopiedEuropa League fixtures
      Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham and Rangers return to European action next month int he Europa League Last 16.
      The first legs are scheduled for March 7 and the second legs of the competition’s knockout stage will take place a week later on March 14.
      The British clubs will first play away and then host their opponents in the crucial return fixture.
      That means Liverpool, Brighton, West Ham and Rangers first fly to Sparta Prague, Roma, Freiburg and Benfica respectively.
      Copy linkCopiedEuropa League Draw
      Here’s the full fixtures list for the Last 16:

      Sparta Prague vs Liverpool
      Marseille vs Villarreal
      Roma vs Brighton
      Benfica vs Rangers
      Freiburg vs West Ham
      Sporting Lisbon vs Atalanta
      AC Milan vs Slavia Prague
      Qarabag vs Bayer Leverkusen

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      Europa League Draw

      Qarabag vs Bayer Leverkusen
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      Europa League Draw

      And finally…
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      Europa League Draw

      AC Milan vs Slavia Prague
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      Europa League Draw

      AC Milan to find out their opponents…
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      Europa League Draw

      Sporting Lisbon vs Atalanta
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      Europa League Draw

      Sporting Lisbon are next…
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      Europa League Draw

      Freiburg vs West Ham
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      Europa League Draw

      Freiburg will face…
      Copy linkCopiedEuropa League Draw
      Benfica vs Rangers
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      Europa League Draw

      Benfica are next…
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      Europa League Draw

      Roma vs Brighton
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      Europa League Draw

      Roma waiting for their next opponent…
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      Europa League Draw

      Marseille vs Villarreal
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      Europa League Draw

      Marseille are next…
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      Europa League Draw

      Sparta Prague vs Liverpool
      Copy linkCopiedEuropa League Draw
      Sparta Prague first out the pot
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      Europa League draw revealed as Liverpool face Sparta Prague, Brighton get horror draw and West Ham face familiar foe

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      THE Europa League draw for the last 16 is set and there’s some tasty ties for the British teams.Premier League trio Brighton, Liverpool and West Ham have all discovered their fate alongside Scottish giants Rangers.
      The Europa League last 16 draw has been decidedCredit: Getty
      Liverpool have learned who they will face in the Europa League last 16Credit: Alamy
      Brighton know their next opponents tooCredit: Reuters
      West Ham are looking for success in Europe for a second consecutive seasonCredit: EPA
      Liverpool will take on Czech side Sparta Prague as they look to give Jurgen Klopp a European dream of a send off.
      Meanwhile Brighton face Roma after topping their “group of death” that housed both Marseille and Ajax.
      The Hammers are looking to create even more history in Europe this year after they won the Conference League last season.
      And their journey to reach a second consecutive European final will continue when they face Freiburg in their last 16 tie.
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      David Moyes’ side were in the same group as the German club, beating them on both occasions.
      Rangers will also continue their European journey with a tough fixture against Benfica.

      The Ibrox outfit went all the way to the final back in 2022, but ultimately suffered heartbreak at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt.
      And Europe was hard for them to get a grasp on last season when they lost every single match they played during their Champions League campaign – finishing rock bottom of their group.
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      The next round is set to get underway on March 7 with the second leg of each fixture to be played just a week later on March 14.
      And there will be some more high-profile clashes outside of the home nations ties too with French heavyweights Marseille facing Spanish superstars Villarreal
      Where are they now: The unusual careers of former footballers
      Elsewhere in European competition Aston Villa were dished out a tricky draw in the last 16 of the Europa Conference League.
      The Villans will take on Ajax over two legs for their bid to return to European glory for the first time since 1982.

      Europa Conference League Last 16 Draw
      Servette vs Viktoria Plzen
      Molde vs Club Brugge
      Ajax vs Aston Villa
      Union SG vs Fenerbahce
      Dinamo Zagreb vs PAOK
      Sturm Graz vs Lille
      Maccabi Haifa vs Fiorentina
      Olympiacos vs Maccabi Tel Aviv More

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      Benfica star Joao Neves reduced to tears as fans chant in support of 19-year-old following mum’s death in Europa League

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      BENFICA star Joao Neves was reduced to tears after a touching tribute from his fans at the Estadio da Luz tonight.The 19-year-old’s mother died last week after a long battle with cancer and the midfielder was emotional as soon as the final whistle blew.
      Joao Neves was emotional at the final whistleCredit: Reuters
      Neves thanked fans for their supportCredit: Reuters
      The Benfica faithful showed their support for Neves by chanting his name at the end of the game.
      And the support of his fans brought the young midfielder to tears.
      Benfica drew 0-0 with Toulouse on the night, which was enough to see them advance through to the next round.
      Neves has played 38 times in all competitions for Benfica this year, despite being just 19 years old.
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      He has already been capped three times by Portugal.
      A combative deep-lying midfielder in the Rodri mould, Neves was linked with a big money move to the Premier League in the summer and January.
      United were interested in the midfielder last summer, although the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo in his position may see their interest in him cool.
      He has also attracted the interest of Arsenal as they look to replace Thomas Partey in the summer.
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      Neves was thrust into the Benfica first team last year when he was just 18 to replace the outgoing Enzo Fernandez, who signed for Chelsea in a £107million deal.
      Benfica were playing in the play-off of the Europa League after dropping down from the Champions League this year.
      They will find out their opponents in the round of 16 in March. More

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      Europa League last-16 draw simulated with Liverpool landing glamour tie and Rangers set for horror clash

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      LIVERPOOL have landed an iconic European tie against AC Milan in SunSport’s simulated Europa League draw.The Reds sailed through to the last-16 after winning a group containing Toulouse, Union Saint-Gilloise and LASK.
      Liverpool could face AC Milan in the Europa League last-16Credit: Reuters
      The two teams played each other in the Champions League final in 2005 and 2007Credit: Getty
      That meant they bypassed the play-off round contested between the group runners-up and the teams that were knocked out of the Champions League.
      Milan were one of those teams after finishing third in their Champions League group behind Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.
      And they already have one foot in the next round after demolishing Rennes 3-0 at the San Siro last week.
      They face the Ligue Un side in the return leg this week and if they win they could set up a meeting with Liverpool in the next round.
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      Jurgen Klopp’s side are one of eight seeded teams Milan could face along with West Ham, Brighton and Rangers – all of whom won their groups.
      SunSport has simulated the draw for the next round and Liverpool vs Milan is the pick of the ties, though Rangers have also been handed a tricky test against Benfica or Toulouse.
      There is plenty of European history between Liverpool and Milan with the two giants facing off twice in the Champions League final in 2005 and 2007.
      Liverpool famously came back from 3-0 down to beat the Italians in Istanbul in 2005 before the Rosseneri took revenge two years later, winning 2-1.
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      SunSport’s simulated Europa League draw in full
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      The pair met more recently in the Champions League in 2021 with Liverpool winning the second round clash 5-3 on aggregate.
      Elsewhere in our simulated draw West Ham face an eye-catching clash against Sparta Prague or Galatasaray, who won at Manchester United this season.
      Liverpool teen and son of ex-Premier League star making his own way in game as he shares sweet moment with Rob Edwards
      Brighton also have another exciting European adventure on the cards, with Rome or Rotterdam the next destination for travelling Seagulls.
      Roberto De Zerbi’s side picked up results at Ajax, Marseille and AEK Athens already this campaign, and could fancy their chances despite the pedigree of Roma and Feyenoord, who met in the 2022 Europa Conference League final.
      Marseille finished second in their group behind Brighton and have been given a dreaded tie against Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen – as long as they beat Shakhtar Donetsk.
      Elsewhere Atalanta will take on Sporting Lisbon or Young Boys while Villarreal play Braga or Qarabag.
      Slavia Prague vs Lens or Freiburg rounds up SunSport’s simulated draw, with the actual draw set to take place on Friday at 11am. More

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      When is Europa League last-16 draw? Date, UK start time and FREE stream as Liverpool & West Ham learn opponents

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      THE draw for the Europa League last-16 will take place this week – and some huge names are in the hat.Liverpool, West Ham, Brighton and Rangers are among the clubs that have already secured their place in the knockout stage after finishing top of their respective groups.
      Liverpool have already secured their place in the last-16 of the Europa LeagueCredit: GETTY
      The eight group winners from this season’s Europa League automatically qualify for the last-16.
      The runners-up face the eight teams that finished third in their respective Champions League groups in a two-legged play-off round.
      Winners of the play-off ties will join the Europa League group champions in the hat for the last-16.
      When is the Europa League last-16 draw?

      The Europa League last-16 draw will take place on Friday, February 23.
      The draw commences at 11am GMT.
      It will take place at the Uefa headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.

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      What TV channel is the Europa League last-16 draw on and can it be live streamed FREE?

      The Europa League last-16 draw will be FREE to watch on Uefa.com.
      TNT Sports 2 will also broadcast the draw with TNT Sports customers able to live stream on the discovery+ app.
      Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog for all the latest from the draw in Switzerland.

      Which teams are playing in the Europa League play-offs?
      Here are all the teams battling it out to secure a place in the Europa League last-16:
      *The first leg results in brackets, the second legs take place on Thursday

      Feyenoord (1) vs Roma (1)
      Galatasaray (3) vs Sparta Prague (2)
      Shakhtar Donetsk (2) vs Marseille (2)
      Young Boys (1) vs Sporting Lisbon (3)
      Benfica (2) vs Toulouse (1)
      Lens (0) vs Freiburg (0)
      AC Milan (3) vs Rennes (0)
      Braga (2) vs Qarabag (4)

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      Which teams have already secured their place in the Europa League last-16
      Here are all the team already in the hat:

      Liverpool
      West Ham
      Brighton
      Atalanta
      Leverkusen
      Rangers
      Villarreal
      Slavia Prague

      When will the Europa League last-16 take place and what is the format of the ties?

      Ties take place over two legs, with the group winners at home in the second leg.
      The first legs are scheduled for March 7, with the second legs a week later on March 14.
      No away goals will count after 180 minutes, with penalties played if teams cannot be separated after an additional 30 minutes. More

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      Sweden star keen on transfer to England after starring in shock win over Liverpool

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      SWEDE Gustaf Nilsson fancies a move to England after starring at Union Saint-Gilloise.Striker Nilsson, 26, who scored for the Belgians in the Europa Conference League last week, is on a handful of Championship sides’ radar and would pick them over interested clubs in Europe.
      Gustaf Nilsson is attracting interest from several Championship clubsCredit: Rex
      He has been in terrific goalscoring form this season with ten goals in 21 league games.
      The 6ft4 striker would offer teams an aerial threat and his physical prowess would likely prove to be a handful in the EFL.
      Nilsson spent much of his career in the Swedish lower leagues after initially coming through at Falkenbergs.
      A transfer to top-flight Bronby followed but the move did not work out as Nilsson found game time difficult to come by.
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      He joined Danish side Silkeborg on loan and his form saw him win two caps for Sweden in 2018 – a tally he has not been able to add to since.
      Just two years ago Nilsson was playing in Germany’s third tier for Wehen Wiesbaden.
      But a return of 14 goals in 30 games led to attention from Union Saint-Gilloise, who were quick to snap him up.
      His form has sparked interest once again with fellow Belgian Pro League club Gent reported to have been monitoring the forward last month.
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      That came after he starred in Union Saint-Gilloise’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Europa League.
      Nilsson is understood to have just one year remaining on his contract, although his club could trigger a one-year extension clause.
      Where are they now: The unusual careers of former footballers More

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      ‘Most ridiculous thing ever’ – Bizarre Europa League goal given after epic ‘draught excluder’ free-kick fail

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      QARABAG scored one of the most bizarre goals in Europa League history – thanks to a Braga star’s free-kick fail. The teams faced off in Portugal on Thursday night in the first leg of their knockout play-off.
      Victor Gomez took on the ‘draught excluder’ role for Braga in the Europa LeagueCredit: X formerly Twitter / @footballontnt
      He accidentally played all the Qarabag attackers onsideCredit: X formerly Twitter / @footballontnt
      Abdellah Zoubir pounced to turn the ball inCredit: X formerly Twitter / @footballontnt

      But the scores level at 1-1, Qarabag went back in front in baffling circumstances.
      Yassine Benzia’s initial free-kick 20 yards out hit the wall before falling to Abdellah Zoubir who rounded the goalkeeper and bundled into the back of the net.
      The goal, though, was initially ruled out for offside by the assistant referee.
      But when VAR checked the replays, they found that Zoubir was played on by the ‘draught excluder’ lying behind the wall.
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      The role – deployed by Braga defender Victor Gomez – is designed to allow the wall to jump and not risk a sneaky free-kick taker sliding the ball underneath them.
      However, it backfired for Braga when Gomez’s head was the closest Braga defender to his own goal line and therefore marked the offside line.
      Zoubir, though, was in an onside position when the initial free-kick was taken.
      Then with the wall landing from their jump and Gomez lying on the floor, he made the most of the freedom in the Braga penalty area to score.
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      The referee was instructed to award the goal, prompting wild celebrations for the Azerbaijani team and their dedicated fans who made the 9,600km round trip to Portugal.
      And those watching the Europa League action at home were left in disbelief.
      Watch astonishing moment Corinthians goalkeeper purposely doesn’t save free kick – but it’s for genius reason
      One said: “The draught excluder playing Qarabag all onside. Classic.”
      Another wrote: “It’s probably play of the year.”
      A third added: “Hopefully teams will stop doing it now cos it is one of the most ridiculous things that has ever come into the game.”
      And a shocked fourth simply commented: “No!”
      Zoubir added his second and Qarabag’s fourth of the night on 69 minutes before Joao Moutinho grabbed an injury-time penalty to keep Braga in the tie, trailing 4-2 going into the second leg next week.
      The initial free-kick hit the wallCredit: X formerly Twitter / @footballontnt
      The referee initially put his arm up to signal offsideCredit: X formerly Twitter / @footballontnt
      He overturned his decision after VAR had a lookCredit: X formerly Twitter / @footballontnt
      The goal prompted wild celebrationsCredit: X formerly Twitter / @footballontnt More