Following the Champions League draw, 16th round of the Europa League is also drawn today in Nyon. Of course, Red Bull Salzburg and LASK will be there too.
The bulls return to "their" competition. In the last Europa League season, Salzburg stormed into the round of 16 and narrowly failed at SSC Naples. Last season it was only in the semi-finals against Olympique Marseille.
But who wants the cops for the next knockout duels? "There are many attractive opponents that guarantee exciting games," says sports manager Christoph Freund zur Krone, hoping for a duel with a German club. "That would be cool. Wolfsburg with Oliver Glasner, also a meeting with Adi Hütter and Eintracht Frankfurt."
Red Bull Salzburg: just not Ukraine
Postscript: "We dare to climb up against any opponent. If I could choose, it should be an opponent where we have realistic opportunities for advancement."
For example, the Glasgow Rangers, who have "a big name and big audience" – "the flair will be great." A trip to Ukraine to Shakhtar Donetsk is not at the top of my wish list.
Sixteenth European League final: the possible opponents
men | nation |
APOEL Nicosia | Cyprus |
FC Copenhagen | Denmark |
Getafe | Spain |
CFR Cluj | romania |
Eintracht Frankfurt | Germany |
Glasgow Rangers | Scotland |
Ludogorez Razgrad | bulgaria |
Wolfsburg | Germany |
AS Roma | Italy |
Wolverhampton | England |
Alkmaar | Netherlands |
Shaktar Donetsk | Ukraine |
Olympiacos Piraeus | Greece |
Bayer Leverkusen | Germany |
Club Brugge | Belgium |
Sporting Lisboa (Salzburg) | Portugal |
With LASK and Salzburg in pot 1 – and therefore no potential opponents – are: FC Sevilla, Malmö FF, FC Basel, Celtic Glasgow, Arsenal, Basaksehir Istanbul, Espanyol Barcelona, KAA Gent, Sporting Braga, FC Porto, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Benfica, Ajax Amsterdam. LASK's group opponents Sporting Lisbon is only possible for Salzburg.