Format, fixtures, more ]Premier League sides Manchester United (3rd - 18 points) and Tottenham (4th - 17 points) are two of the eight that will avoid the first knockout round. Lazio (19 points) finished top with Athletic Bilbao behind them only on goal difference.

Manchester United and Tottenham put their inconsistent domestic campaigns aside and advanced to the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday. Diogo Dalot tapped in a precise cross by Kobbie Mainoo on the hour mark and Mainoo netted eight minutes later for a 2-0 victory over Romanian champion FCSB in Bucharest.

NYON, Switzerland — Draw made Friday for the knockout playoffs round in the Europa League: Feb. 13 Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) vs. Ajax (Netherlands) AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) vs. Galatasaray (Turkey) Midtjylland (Denmark) vs. Real Sociedad (Spain)