Liverpool get Sparta in round of 32 draw

AC Sparta Praha drew Liverpool FC while BSC Young Boys will have the unenviable task of tackling FC Zenit St Petersburg following the UEFA Europa League round of 32 and round of 16 draws in Nyon.

Roy Hodgson's Liverpool are bidding to lift this trophy for the first time in its new incarnation, having won three UEFA Cups, and can expect a tough test against the Czech outfit. Berne's Young Boys, meanwhile, have drawn newly crowned Russian champions Zenit, who cruised through the group stage with six straight victories, averaging three goals a match. Oddly, the only other Swiss team in the hat, FC Basel 1893, will also have Russian opponents, FC Spartak Moskva.

It will be Belgium against the Netherlands when RSC Anderlecht play AFC Ajax, with the sides having met for the first time in last season's UEFA Europa League group stage, while Sevilla FC's encounter with runaway Portuguese Liga leaders FC Porto will be an all-Iberian affair. Rangers FC, meanwhile, have an exciting tie against another club of fine continental pedigree, Sporting Clube de Portugal.

Most ties will take place on 17 and 24 February (see below for exceptions), with the round of 16 ties following on 10 and 17 March, and the draw for the final stages scheduled for 18 March in Nyon.

The final will be played at the Dublin Arena on 18 May. Teams in the round of 32 could not be drawn against sides they encountered in the group stage, nor against clubs from their own national association, but there are no such restrictions from the round of 32 onwards.

Teams mentioned first play at home in the opening legs.

Round of 32 draw
SSC Napoli (ITA) v Villarreal CF (ESP)
Rangers FC (SCO) v Sporting Clube de Portugal (POR)
AC Sparta Praha (CZE) v Liverpool FC (ENG)
RSC Anderlecht (BEL) v AFC Ajax (NED)
KKS Lech Poznań (POL) v SC Braga (POR)
Beşiktaş JK (TUR) v FC Dynamo Kyiv (UKR)
FC Basel 1893 (SUI) v FC Spartak Moskva (RUS)
BSC Young Boys (SUI) v FC Zenit St Petersburg (RUS)
Aris Thessaloniki FC (GRE) v Manchester City FC (ENG)*
PAOK FC (GRE) v PFC CSKA Moskva (RUS)**
Sevilla FC (ESP) v FC Porto (POR)**
FC Rubin Kazan (RUS) v FC Twente (NED)
LOSC Lille Métropole (FRA) v PSV Eindhoven (NED)
SL Benfica (POR) v VfB Stuttgart (GER)
FC BATE Borisov (BLR) v Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA)
FC Metalist Kharkiv (UKR) v Bayer 04 Leverkusen (GER)

* first leg scheduled for Tuesday 15 February
** second leg scheduled for Tuesday 22 February

Round of 16 draw
Benfica/Stuttgart v BATE/PSG
Beşiktaş/Dynamo Kyiv v Aris/Manchester City
Rubin/Twente v Young Boys/Zenit
PAOK/CSKA Moskva v Sevilla/Porto
Lille/PSV v Rangers/Sporting
Metalist/Leverkusen v Napoli/Villarreal
Anderlecht/Ajax v Basel/Spartak Moskva
Sparta Praha/Liverpool v Lech/Braga