UEL draw: Spanish quartet learn fate

Atletico Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad and Villarreal all discovered their fate in the first knockout stage of this season’s Europa League.

Diego Simeone’s side will face Danish giants FC Copenhagen following their elimination from the Champions League earlier this month.

Villarreal – who reached the semi-finals of the competition two seasons ago – are in arguably the tie of the round as they take on French giants Olympique Lyonnais, currently second in Ligue 1.

Athletic Bilbao’s reward for advancing through the group stage is a clash with Russian side Spartak Moscow, who were eliminated from the Champions League following a 7-0 loss to Liverpool.

Basque rivals Real Sociedad also advanced to the next stage and will face Austrian side Salzburg.

Other standout ties include Borussia Dortmund’s pairing with Atalanta and Italian giants Napoli being drawn against RB Leipzig.

Ties to be played 15th and 22nd February.

Europa League draw:

AEK Athens v Dynamo Kiev

Astana v Sporting CP

Atletico Madrid v FC Copenhagen

Borussia Dortmund v Atalanta

Celtic v Zenit St Petersburg

Ludogorets v Milan

Lyon v Villarreal

Marseille v Braga

Milan v Ludogorets

Napoli v RB Leipzig

Nice v Lokomotiv Moscow

Ostersund v Arsenal

Partizan Belgrade v Viktoria Plzen

Real Sociedad v Salzburg

Red Star Belgrade v CSKA Moscow

Spartak Moscow v Athletic Bilbao

La Liga - Club News