Soccer-Liverpool draw Sparta Prague in Europa League last 16

Premier League leaders Liverpool have drawn Czech side Sparta Prague in the last 16 of the Europa League, while Bundesliga front-runners Bayer Leverkusen will play Azerbaijan's Qarabag.

Europa Conference League holders West Ham United will face German side Freiburg and last season's runners-up AS Roma play Roberto De Zerbi's Brighton & Hove Albion. Spain's Villarreal, the 2020-21 champions, were paired with French Ligue 1 club Olympique de Marseille in the draw held in Nyon, Switzerland.

Italy's AC Milan have drawn Slavia Prague, Portuguese league leaders Benfica will play Scottish Premiership table-toppers Rangers and Portuguese side Sporting face Serie A's Atalanta in the other ties. The Europa Conference League draw was also made on Friday, with Aston Villa set to face Ajax Amsterdam. This is Villa's first season in Europe since the 2010-11 campaign.

Sparta Prague v Liverpool Olympique de Marseille v Villarreal

AS Roma v Brighton & Hove Albion Benfica v Rangers

Freiburg v West Ham United Sporting v Atalanta

AC Milan v Slavia Prague Qarabag v Bayer Leverkusen

The first legs will be played on March 7, except for Sporting v Atalanta, who will play their first-leg match on March 5. The second legs will be played on March 14. *Team mentioned first will host the first leg

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