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Europa League last 16 draw: Chelsea to face Dynamo Kiev

February 22, 2019 22:18 IST

Chelsea

IMAGE: General view of a corner flag before the match. Photograph: Ian Walton/Reuters

Chelsea will face Dynamo Kiev at home in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie, while London rivals Arsenal will travel to Rennes following Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

Both Premier League teams were initially handed home ties after the draw, but Arsenal subsequently confirmed they would play their first leg away to avoid UEFA’s city-clash rule.

 

UEFA rules governing European competition allow for ties to be rearranged if more than one club from a particular city is taking part, to prevent multiple games being held in the same city at the same time.

Chelsea, who won the Europa League in 2013, beat Malmo 5-1 on aggregate in the last round while Arsenal triumphed 3-1 over BATE Borisov over two legs.

Italy’s Inter Milan are at Eintracht Frankfurt in their first leg, while Dinamo Zagreb host Portugal’s Benfica, with Napoli taking on Austria’s FC Salzburg.

Friday’s draw was not protected by seeding, but teams from Russia and Ukraine were kept apart.

Russian side Krasnodar travel to Valencia for their first leg, while Zenit St Petersburg have also been drawn against Spanish opposition and host La Liga strugglers Villareal.

Sevilla, the third Spanish side still in this year’s competition, have been drawn against Slavia Prague.

The first legs of the last-16 ties will be held on March 7 with the reverse fixtures scheduled for March 14.

The draw was made on Friday for the Europa League round of 16:

Chelsea v Dynamo Kiev

Eintracht Frankfurt v Inter Milan

Dinamo Zagreb v Benfica

Napoli v Salzburg

Valencia v Krasnodar

Sevilla v Slavia Prague

Rennes v Arsenal

Zenit St Petersburg v Villareal

Source: REUTERS
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