Dynamic Incentive Plan for February At 7 o'clock tonight, the draw for the round of 16 of the Europa League will kick off. Compared with the previous Champions League elimination of the third place and the new lineup composed of group qualifiers, this Europa League adopts a play-off mode, which greatly improves the number of rounds and tightness of the competition, which is full of highlights.
The 16 teams that have advanced are strong, and the seeded teams include the top four players in Serie A, Brighton, the unbeaten king of the Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen, and the leader of the Premier League, Liverpool. Unseeded teams should also not be underestimated, with the likes of AC Milan, Benfica and Freiburg all on the list.
In terms of draw rules, the 1 8 finals will be seeded vs. unseeded, with the seeded team playing at home in the second leg. A two-legged draw between the two sides will go directly to extra time, with no home and away goals rules. The first leg will be played on 7 March, with the second leg kicking off on 14 March.
Among the many teams, the unseeded AC Milan is undoubtedly the biggest attraction. As Serie A giants, AC Milan should not be underestimated, and no seeded team would want to meet them at this time. Naturally, strong teams such as the Reds, Liverpool and pharmaceutical company Bayer Leverkusen are no exception. For his part, AC Milan boss Stefano Pioli is also hoping that his team can do well in the Europa League to respond to expectations.
Bayer Leverkusen, the Bundesliga kings, are eager to remain unbeaten in the Europa League. Compared with the counterattack story of "David vs Goliath" at the beginning of the season, Bayer Leverkusen is stronger now. They are looking forward to meeting relatively weak teams such as Kara** and Sparta Prague at the draw ceremony to make it easier to advance in the competition.
Liverpool, the favourites, are also hoping to do well in the Europa League. After Klopp announced his departure, the players wanted to use the trophy to comfort their mentor. They lead the Premier League but face the onslaught of strong teams such as the Blue Moon and Arsenal. Therefore, the possibility of maintaining qualification in the Europa League is crucial for them.
It is worth mentioning that Azerbaijan's big dark horse Kara** has become a major attraction of this Europa League. As a newcomer, they showed their strength in the group stage. In the knockout rounds, they expect to meet relatively weak teams such as Submarines and Rangers to continue their dark horse journey.
For the likes of Roma and West Ham United, a return to glory in the Europa League is also a goal. After winning the UEFA Europa Cup, they are eager to prove themselves on a bigger stage. Although reaching the Champions League may be a bit difficult, it is a good experiment to play yourself in the Europa League.