Arsenal and AC Milan meet in Europa League last 16
NYON: Seven-times European champions AC Milan will face Arsenal in the standout last-16 tie in the Europa League after the draw was made in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.
It will be the first time the two clubs have met since Milan won 4-3 on aggregate to reach the Champions League quarter-finals in 2012 where they lost to Barcelona.
Spanish favourites Atletico Madrid take on Lokomotiv Moscow while Milan’s Serie A rivals Lazio will face Dinamo Kiev.
French club Olympique Lyonnais, whose ground will host the final, play CSKA Moscow while former European champions Olympique de Marseille face Athletic Bilbao.
The remaining two ties are RB Leipzig against Zenit St Petersburg and Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon versus Viktoria Plzen.
Although Milan, playing in Europe after a three-year absence, have improved under former player Gennaro Gattuso who has taken them on an 11-match unbeaten run, they are adrift in the race for Champions League places, lying seventh in Serie A.
Arsenal, who failed to qualify for the Champions League this season for the first time for 20 years, look unlikely to get back in via a top-four finish in the Premier League.
With a Champions League spot up for grabs for the Europa League winners, the clash between the two powerhouses takes on added significance.
Arsenal reached the last 16 despite losing 2-1 at home to Swedish club Ostersunds on Thursday. Milan beat Bulgarian side Ludogorets.