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Europa League & Conference League last-16 draws: Arsenal face Sporting Lisbon, Man Utd draw Real Betis; West Ham vs Larnaca

Arsenal draw Sporting Lisbon in Europa League last 16; Manchester United face ex-Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini's Real Betis; West Ham draw Cypriot First Division leaders AEK Larnaca; first legs to take place on Thursday March 9, with second legs a week later on Thursday March 16

Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United will face Real Betis, while Bukayo Saka's Arsenal will play Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League last-16
Image: Bruno Fernandes and Manchester United will face Real Betis, while Bukayo Saka's Arsenal will play Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League last 16

Arsenal have been drawn against Sporting Lisbon in the last 16 of the Europa League, with Manchester United facing Real Betis.

Mikel Arteta's Gunners side, who were beaten finalists in the 2018/19 edition of the competition and reached the semi-finals in 2020/21, will travel to Lisbon next month to face Ruben Amorim's side, who are fourth in the Primeira Liga at present, in the first leg.

The pairing of the clubs brings potential for a reunion between Arsenal and former defender Hector Bellerin, with the Spaniard having joined the Portuguese club in January after a short return to boyhood club Barcelona.

The Europa League trophy
Image: The Europa League final will take place in Budapest on May 31

In terms of where the tie fits into the north London club's schedule, they welcome Bournemouth to the Emirates before the away tie at Sporting. A trip to Craven Cottage to play Fulham comes between the two legs, before the visit of Crystal Palace follows the second leg.

Arsenal's March schedule

  • Everton (H) - Wednesday March 1, 7.45pm
  • Bournemouth (H) - Saturday March 4, 3pm
  • Sporting Lisbon (A) - Thursday March 9, 8pm
  • Fulham (A) - Sunday March 12, 2pm
  • Sporting Lisbon (H) - Thursday March 16, 8pm
  • Crystal Palace (H) - Sunday March 19, 2pm

Manchester United, meanwhile, who have lost just once in all competitions since November , welcome Real Betis, managed by ex-Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, to Old Trafford for the first leg.

In the lead-up to that match, United travel to Anfield to play Liverpool. They then play Southampton at home before making the trip to Brighton following the second leg, which will be played at Betis' Estadio Benito Villamarin.

Manchester United's March schedule

  • West Ham (H, FA Cup) - Wednesday March 1, 7.45pm
  • Liverpool (A) - Sunday March 5, 4.30pm
  • Real Betis (H) - Thursday March 9, 8pm
  • Southampton (H) - Saturday March 11, 3pm
  • Real Betis (A) - Thursday March 16, 8pm
  • Brighton (A) - Sunday March 19, 2pm

Elsewhere, Bundesliga title candidates Union Berlin take on Union Saint-Gilloise, while Roma - who occupy third place in Serie A - face Real Sociedad.

Also See:

The first legs of the last-16 fixtures will take place on Thursday March 9, with the second legs a week later on Thursday March 16. The draw for the quarter-finals will take place on Friday March 17.

Europa League last-16 draw:

Union Berlin vs Union Saint-Gilloise

Sevilla vs Fenerbahce

Juventus vs Freiburg

Bayer Leverkusen vs Ferencvaros

Sporting Lisbon vs Arsenal

Manchester United vs Real Betis

Roma vs Real Sociedad

Shakhtar Donetsk vs Feyenoord

West Ham drawn to play Larnaca in ECL

West Ham will face AEK Larnaca in the last 16 of the Europa Conference League.

The Europa Conference League trophy
Image: The Europa Conference League final will take place in Prague on June 7

David Moyes' Hammers - who reached the semi-finals of the Europa League last season - will make the long trip to Cyprus to face the leaders of the Cypriot First Division next month.

West Ham's March schedule

  • Manchester United (A, FA Cup) - Wednesday March 1, 7.45pm
  • Brighton (A) - Saturday March 4, 3pm
  • AEK Larnaca (A) - Thursday March 9, 8pm
  • Aston Villa (H) - Sunday March 12, 2pm
  • AEK Larnaca (H) - Thursday March 16, 8pm
  • Manchester City (A) - Sunday March 19, 4.30pm

It will also be the third away trip in nine days for the club, who face Manchester United in the FA Cup on Wednesday March 1 and Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday March 4.

Europa Conference League last-16 draw in full:

AEK Larnaca vs West Ham

Fiorentina vs Sivasspor

Lazio vs AZ Alkmaar

Lech Poznan vs Djurgardens

FC Basel vs Slovan Bratislava

Sheriff Tiraspol vs Nice

Anderlecht vs Villarreal

Gent vs Istanbul Basaksehir

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