Reds to face tough Euro tie
LIVERPOOL face a tough Europa League tie in the last 32 after Uefa confirmed they will not be seeded for today’s knockout stage draw.
Poor goal difference in their Champions League group means Rafael Benitez’s men miss out on being named as one of the top 16 seeds, along with Everton and Fulham.
It means all three English clubs face the prospect of being paired with a host of top clubs including Italian giants Juventus, French side Marseille and highly-rated German trio Werder Bremen, Wolfsburg and Hamburg.
A Uefa spokesman confirmed: “Liverpool will not be one of the seeded teams. The top seeds are the 12 groups winners from the Europa League and the best four third-placed sides from the Champions League.
“Among the clubs dropping down from the Champions League; Juventus and Unirea Urziceni won more points than Liverpool, while Marseille and Wolfsburg had a better goal difference.”
The competition resumes on 16 February.
EUROPA LEAGUE | LAST 32
SEEDED TEAMS – Anderlecht, Valencia, Hapoel Tel Aviv, Sporting Lisbon, AS Roma, Galatasaray, Salzburg, Fenerbahce, Benfica, Shakhtar Donetsk, PSV Eindhoven, Werder Bremen, Juventus, Unirea Urziceni, Marseille, Wolfsburg
UNSEEDED TEAMS – Ajax, Lille, Hamburg, Hertha Berlin, Fulham, Panathinaikos, Villarreal, FC Twente, Everton, FC Brugge, FC Copenhagen, Athletic Bilbao, Apoel Nicosia, Liverpool, Rubin Kazan, Standard Liege