Arsenal get tough draw, face AC Milan
Nyon ( Switzerland), Feb. 23: Arsenal, the last surviving British club, on Friday drew seven- time European champion AC Milan in the last 16 of the Europa League.
Arsenal struggled to overcome Swedish minnows Ostersunds in the last round, being booed off by their fans at the Emirates after losing 2- 1 on Thursday but going through 4- 2 win on aggregate.
Atletico Madrid and French striker Antoine Griezmann were paired with Lokomotiv Moscow, the day after another Spanish- Russian game, between Athletic Bilbao and Spartak Moscow, was marred by violence in which a Spanish policeman died of a heart attack.
Bilbao will face 1993 European champions Marseille for the matches on March 8 and 15.
Another French side, Lyon, must overcome CSKA Moscow to keep alive their hopes of appearing in the final which will be played at their own stadium on May 16.
Lyon were comfortable 4aggregate winners over 1 Villarreal in the round of 32 and former club stalwart Bernard Lacombe welcomed the draw which sees the second leg played in France.
“We qualified well against Villarreal, who are a good club. Obviously it would be fantastic to play in our own stadium ( in the final) but there are highlevel opponents left in the competition and we have to respect that,” he told beIN Sports. RB Leipzig, who dropped into the competition after being eliminated from the Champions League, will play Zenit Saint- Petersburg, who won the Europa League in 2008.
Borussia Dortmund meanwhile face potentially the weakest team in the last 16, Czech side Plzen.
ARSENAL SURVIVE
SCARE
Arsenal scraped into the last 16 despite a 2- 1 secondleg defeat. Two quickfire first- half goals gave Swedish minnows Ostersunds hope of a sensational comeback at the Emirates, but Sead Kolasinac’s goal just after the interval saw Arsenal hang on for a 4- 2 win on aggregate.
A Basque police officer died as security forces clashed with fans of Russian club Spartak Moscow in Bilbao.
“We can confirm that a Basque policeman died Thursday,” said a press spokesman for Ertzaintza, the Basque police region.
However, he would not comment on reports that the officer died as a result of the violence.