Bayer Leverkusen face Atalanta in Europa League last 16; RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt with tricky ties
Bayer Leverkusen will take on Italian side Atalanta in the pick of the UEFA Europa League round of 16 fixtures, while RB Leipzig meet Spartak Moscow and Eintracht Frankfurt lock horns with Real Betis.
The pairings were made on Friday at the draw at UEFA's headquarters in Switzerland, with the first legs to be played on 9/10 March and the return fixtures on 17 March.
Leverkusen and Frankfurt both advanced straight to the round of 16 after winning Groups G and D respectively, while Leipzig overcame Real Sociedad 5-3 on aggregate in the knockout play-offs after their elimination from the Champions League group stage.
"Atalanta are one of the best teams in Italy and have developed really well in recent years," said Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes. "They like to get forward and they score lots of goals. For me, this tie is one of the top matches in this round. Our aim is to go through."
Leipzig's clash with Spartak is an intriguing one for Leipzig as it pits head coach Domenico Tedesco against his former club, the 36-year-old having managed the Russian outfit from October 2019 until May 2021.
Frankfurt, who reached the semi-finals of the competition in 2018/19, continue their continental quest in Spain. "Betis are a tough opponent and are currently third in the Spanish league," said sporting director Markus Krösche. "We'll do everything we can to progress to the next round."
Want more Bundesliga Action?
The last 16 draw in full:
RB Leipzig vs. Spartak Moscow
Atalanta vs. Bayer Leverkusen
Real Betis vs. Eintracht Frankfurt
Rangers vs. Red Star Belgrade
Braga vs. Monaco
Porto vs. Lyon
Sevilla vs. West Ham United
Barcelona vs. Galatasaray
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