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UEFA Europa League: What we learnt from the Knockout Round Play-offs draw?

The knockout round play-offs will take place on February 16, 2023, followed by the second leg a week later on February 23.

By K S Vignesh Bharadwaj | Nov 7, 2022 | 2 Min Read

The UEFA Headquarters in Lyon, Switzerland, hosted the Europa League knockout playoff draw. The teams across Europe were all familiarising themselves with their own route maps to the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, where the UEFA Europa League final will be hosted. The group winners were not drawn and were instead given a bye into the round of 16 and will be drawn on February 24 against one of the eight winners of this play-off round.

The knockout round play-off will take place on February 16, 2023, followed by the second leg a week later on February 23. The Europa League group stage runners-up will face off against the Champions League group stage teams to decide who will join the competition group winners. Here are some of the big clashes and highlights from the draw

Barcelona back to the Threate of Dreams

Barcelona will face English giants Manchester United in the Europa League after a thrilling draw on Monday, November 7. The fans were ecstatic and are anticipating a mouth-watering contest. The Catalan Giants and Red Devils have previously met 13 times, most recently in the 2018/19 Champions League quarter-finals. Barcelona defeated Manchester United, winning at Old Trafford and the Camp Nou. Barcelona will be looking to go all the way in the Europa League after entering the competition for the second season in a row.

Six-time champions face PSV Eindhoven

PSV Eindhoven have been drawn against the six-time champions Sevilla in the Europa League play-off round. PSV striker Luuk de Jong will return to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to his old club, where he spent three seasons. In 2020, he won the competition with Sevilla, scoring twice and being named man of the match in the final against Inter Milan. Sevilla currently occupies the 17th spot in La Liga after 13 games. At the same time, PSV are top of the Eredivisie, and the six-time Europa League champions face a difficult task in attempting to win their seventh title.

The Special Ones lock horns with the Bulls from Austria

Roma will face RB Salzburg in the Europa League knockout playoffs in February. The Giallorossi will make the journey to the Red Bull Arena in Austria for the first leg on February 16th before returning to the Stadio Olimpico the following week on February 23rd. After finishing second behind Real Betis in Group C with 10 points in six games, Mourinho’s men had the opportunity to face teams who had dropped down from the Champions League.