Europa League Last 16 Draw

[Johnny Velvet]

EDIT: Removed

[Levin]

What's a Czech team doing there? I thought modern football has procedures in place to stop this sort of thing.

[ursus arctos]

This is the third time Viktoria have made it this far since 2013

[Levin]

Sorry. I don't pay as much attention as I used to.

After looking at their wiki page I like the idea of lots after a limited penalty shootout

"In 1971, Viktoria won the Czech Cup by drawing lots after the two-legged final ended 4–4 on aggregate and 5–5 in a limited penalty shootout against Sparta Prague B"

[G-Man]

UEFA's heated balls prevented an embarrassing Red Bull derby.

[EIM]

Marseille v Bilbao. The local police forces will be chuffed...

[Satchmo Distel]

Is there much chance of a team winning this year's competition that was not parachuted in from the Champions League?

[Sits]

Are Salzburg a feeder to RBL or are they supposedly run independently?

[Wouter D]

Is there much chance of a team winning this year's competition that was not parachuted in from the Champions League?

One of Lazio, Milan, Lyon, Marseille, Athletic Bilbao, Zenit St Petersburg, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Arsenal could conceivably win it, yes.

[ursus arctos]

UEFA does not believe that a sufficient conflict exists

[Snake Plissken]

One of Lazio, Milan, Lyon, Marseille, Athletic Bilbao, Zenit St Petersburg, Lokomotiv Moscow, and Arsenal could conceivably win it, yes.

Interesting how many "big" names that you think would be CL dropouts are in that list.

And Arsenal.

[3 Colours Red]

Is this the strongest last 16 anyone here can recall? ALEX TO THREAD, STAT!

[Satchmo Distel]

It has the biggest names by recent reputation (21st century final appearances, for example) and probably the most expensive total player pool ever; but "strongest" is more subjective because it assumes that Lazio, Milan, etc are still good sides.