Soccer Football - Europa League - Knockout Phase Playoff Draw - UEFA Headquarters, Switzerland - January 31, 2025 General view of the Europa League trophy as the completed draw is seen on the big screen REUTERS/Denis Balibouse
NYON (Reuters) - Twice Europa League winners Porto will face two-times finalists AS Roma in a knockout phase playoff tie, while Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce were pitted against Anderlecht in Friday's draw held in Nyon, Switzerland.
Porto, winners in 2003 and 2011, last met Serie A club Roma in a Champions League last-16 clash in 2019, in which the Portuguese side emerged victorious.
Turkey's Fenerbahce face Belgium's Anderlecht, while fellow Super Lig club Galatasaray take on AZ Alkmaar. Ajax Amsterdam, champions in 1992, will meet Union SG and FC Twente play Bodo/Glimt of Norway.
The top eight sides automatically qualified for the last 16 while the teams that finished ninth to 24th will compete in the two-legged playoffs.
Premier League sides Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, among the favourites to win the tournament, secured automatic qualification to the Europa League last 16.
United and Spurs could face the winners of the tie between Midtjylland and Real Sociedad, or the winners of AZ Alkmaar v Galatasaray.
EUROPA LEAGUE KNOCKOUT PLAYOFFS DRAW
FC Twente v Bodo/Glimt
Union SG v Ajax Amsterdam
AZ Alkmaar v Galatasaray
Ferencvaros v Viktoria Plzen
Fenerbahce v Anderlecht
PAOK v Steaua Bucharest
Midtjylland v Real Sociedad
Porto v AS Roma
*Team mentioned second plays second leg at home
DATES
Playoff first leg: Feb. 13
Playoff second leg: Feb. 20
Last 16 draw: Feb. 21
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Nashik, India; Editing by Toby Chopra and Christian Radnedge)
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