Europa League draw LIVE: Arsenal, Manchester United and Wolves learn last 32 fixtures today

Follow live coverage of the Europa League last-32 draw today.

Despite their domestic struggles Arsenal have found the going a lot easier in Europe and will now face a trip to Olympiacos in the first knockout round. Manchester United also secured top spot after an up and down campaign with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side now facing off against Club Brugge. Wolves were also in the hat, as one of the unseeded teams, and now take on Espanyol of La Liga.

Scotland were also well represented with Celtic meeting Copenhagen and Rangers facing Braga. We'll have all the latest reaction for you right here:

Europa League draw key points

• The Europa League last-16 draw takes place today
• Ceremony scheduled to kick-off at 12pm GMT
• Arsenal face Olympiacos, Man Utd take on Club Brugge
• Wolves meet Espanyol
• Celtic play Copenhagen, Rangers vs Braga
• Fixtures to be played on 20th and 27th February

Show latest update

2019-12-16T09:13:05.266Z

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of the Champions League last-16 draw today.

Reigning European champions Liverpool will be one of sixteen teams in the hat after they topped Group E after beating RB Salzburg in their final game last week.

Premier League champions Manchester City are also one of the top seeds after they secured one of the top spots too.

It'll be a more fraught road for 2019 finalists Tottenham Hotspur with two defeats Bayern Munich condemning to second place.

They're joined by Chelsea who saw Valencia beat them to top spot in Group H.

Heavyweights Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and more join them in what should be a star-studded line-up of fixtures in the first knockout stage.

We'll have all the latest updates for you right here:

 

• Ben Burrows
• 16 December 2019 09:13

2019-12-16T09:21:47.713Z

Right then, let's take a closer look at the top seeds, those privileged few who topped their group and will now, in theory, have an easier route to Istanbul.

 

• Barcelona (ESP: Group F)
• Bayern München (GER: Group B)
• Juventus (ITA: Group D)
• Leipzig (GER: Group G)
• Liverpool (ENG, holders: Group E)
• Manchester City (ENG: Group C)
• Paris Saint-Germain (FRA: Group A)
• Valencia (ESP: Group H)

 

 

• Ben Burrows
• 16 December 2019 09:22

2019-12-16T09:34:04.213Z

And these are the unseeded sides, where there are a couple of teams you definitely do not want to draw.

 

• Atalanta (ITA: Group C)
• Atlético (ESP: Group D)
• Chelsea (ENG: Group H)
• Dortmund (GER: Group F)
• Lyon (FRA: Group G)
• Napoli (ITA: Group E)
• Real Madrid (ESP: Group A)
• Tottenham Hotspur (ENG: Group B)​

 

 

• Ben Burrows
• 16 December 2019 09:34

2019-12-16T09:40:06.416Z

Just to give you a heads up on proceedings today.

 

The ceremony is set to get underway at 11am GMT in the 100% fictional Uefa town of Nyon in Switzerland/Narnia.

 

Expect big names on hand to pull those all important balls out as well as a montage or seven.

• Ben Burrows
• 16 December 2019 09:40

2019-12-16T09:51:56.886Z

Jose Mourinho believes Tottenham will be a team to avoid in the Champions League knockout stages.

Spurs finished second in Group B, meaning they can be drawn against one of Barcelona, Paris St Germain, Juventus, Valencia or RB Leipzig.

Mourinho reckons those five teams will be hoping to avoid his side.

"We have five options," he said. "We don't have much to choose.

"Basically every team has five or six options in the draw, the teams that finish first they have better luck than to get Tottenham.

"They have better options than Tottenham, so every team that finished first and has better options than Tottenham, if they get Tottenham in the draw I think they will be very happy to play in our stadium but they know we have a good team."

 

• Ben Burrows
• 16 December 2019 09:51

2019-12-16T09:59:16.380Z

Reigning champions Liverpool, who beat Spurs in last season's final, will be hoping to avoid a horror draw.

They could be paired with either Real Madrid or city rivals Atletico, with Borussia Dortmund, Lyon or Atalanta their other possible opponents.

Four of those five teams could also be waiting for City, with Napoli a possible opponent instead of Atalanta, who they met in the group stage.

Chelsea look set to get a tough draw as they could face Barcelona, Juventus, Bayern Munich, PSG or Leipzig.

Liverpool and City as group winners get a second leg at home, while Spurs and Chelsea will be away.

 

• Ben Burrows
• 16 December 2019 09:59

2019-12-16T10:07:39.590Z

When we finally know the fixtures in an hour or so's time it'll be worth knowing when they're going to be.

 

Well, they will begin on 18-19 February and 25-26 February, with the second legs concluding the ties on 10-11 March and 17-18 March.

For the lucky few who will progress you can also plan for the quarter-final draw, which is set for 20 March. 

• Ben Burrows
• 16 December 2019 10:07

2019-12-16T10:17:24.240Z

So who is going to win the Champions League, 2019-20 edition?

 

The bookies have Manchester City as favourites, which seems odd to me giving where the reigning European champions Liverpool are in the Premier League right now. Liverpool are second with Barcelona and PSG are close behind, and Bayern Munich are installed as fifth favourites. What's intriguing this year is that there isn't really an outstanding team beyond Liverpool, which every big gun showing some fallibility. 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:17

2019-12-16T10:23:06.873Z

Here's the fantasy team of the group stage – not a shabby front three. 

 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:23

2019-12-16T10:27:02.613Z

Aprospos nothing, here's Lionel Messi bopping his head to a drum beat...

 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:27

2019-12-16T10:29:55.356Z

A reminder that the Europa League draw will follow the Champions League draw, which kicks off in half an hour. Arsenal, Manchester United and Wolves all find themselves in the mix of 32 teams, but it also features some dangerous opponents like Inter Milan and Ajax. There is bound to be a couple of belting ties in there, you would think. 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:29

2019-12-16T10:40:20.446Z

Here's Jose Mourinho on the Champions League draw. He tends to be at his best when his side is an underdog, and Tottenham are certainly that right now.

 

Jose Mourinho makes Champions League draw prediction

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:40

2019-12-16T10:46:17.160Z

Here's Liverpool following that extraordinary win over Barcelona back in April. Still not entirely sure why this lot are not favourites. The one place you would not want to go in this round-of-16 draw is surely Anfield.

 

 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:46

2019-12-16T10:54:40.353Z

A reminder of the seeded clubs in this draw: 

 

• Barcelona (ESP: Group F)
• Bayern München (GER: Group B)
• Juventus (ITA: Group D)
• Leipzig (GER: Group G)
• Liverpool (ENG, holders: Group E)
• Manchester City (ENG: Group C)
• Paris Saint-Germain (FRA: Group A)
• Valencia (ESP: Group H)

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:54

2019-12-16T10:55:12.380Z

And the unseeded sides:

 

• Atalanta (ITA: Group C)
• Atlético (ESP: Group D)
• Chelsea (ENG: Group H)
• Dortmund (GER: Group F)
• Lyon (FRA: Group G)
• Napoli (ITA: Group E)
• Real Madrid (ESP: Group A)
• Tottenham Hotspur (ENG: Group B)​

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 10:55

2019-12-16T11:00:50.713Z

Who would you like to see paired together? Atalanta vs Leizpig would be fun, two ambitious teams who play good football. Seeing Jadon Sancho in England would be fun, perhaps against Liverpool?

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 11:00

2019-12-16T11:02:50.830Z

So here comes the draw, very shortly. A reminder that you cannot be drawn against a club from your own nation, so there will be no Liverpool vs Chelsea throwbacks in this round, and likewise you cannot face the other club who qualified from your group.

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 11:02

2019-12-16T11:08:59.226Z

Here we go... I'm fairly excited. Let's not go overboard.

 

Kelly Smith, of England fame, is in the building to assist the usual Uefa suits with the draw. 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 11:08

2019-12-16T11:11:13.393Z

Hamit Altıntop is the special guest, a Turkey legend who is talking up the 'road to Istanbul 2020'. I can report he still has luscious hair and cheekbones to grate cheese with. 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 11:11

2019-12-16T11:13:38.620Z

A small, dry man is going through "draw procedure". He looks like he's giving incredibly sad news. Right, now the draw, hopefully. 

• Lawrence Ostlere
• 16 December 2019 11:13

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Next

Wolves vs Espanyol 

Sporting vs Istanbul Basaksehir 

Getafe vs Ajax

Bayer Leverkusen vs Porto 

FC Copenhagen vs Celtic 

APOEL vs Basel

CFR Cluj vs Sevilla

Olympiacos vs Arsenal 

AZ Alkmaar vs LASK

Club Brugge vs Man United 

Ludogorets vs Inter Milan 

Frankfurt vs Salzburg 

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Benfica 

Wolfsburg vs Malmo

Roma vs Gent

Rangers vs Braga