Liverpool draws Sparta Prague in Europa League round of 16

Liverpool will play at Sparta Prague in the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 on March 7, three days before a huge Premier League match against Manchester City.

Jurgen Klopp’s team learned its opponent in Friday’s draw made at UEFA headquarters. Liverpool and the other seven teams that topped their groups will play host to the second-leg matches a week after their openers away from home.

Avoiding a long round-trip journey to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag in mid-week will be a relief for Liverpool, which is home to City on March 10. Instead, Bayer Leverkusen is paired with Qarabag.

The Europa League final is on May 22 in Dublin.

ALONSO’S TRAVELS

The eight group-stage winners qualified directly for the round of 16. The eight group-stage runners-up played the eight thirdplace teams from the Champions League group stage in the playoffs to get into Friday’s draw.

Bundesliga leader Leverkusen faces Qarabag in the knockout round after the two teams also met in the group stage — Leverkusen winning 5-1 at home and 1-0 in Baku. Qarabag bagged a stoppage-time goal Thursday against Braga to reach the round of 16 in a European competition for the first time.

West Ham beat Freiburg home and away in the group stage. The two teams meet again in the last 16.

Roma advanced Thursday with a penalty shootout victory over Feyenoord in their playoff and next faces Brighton.

ROUND-OF-16 DRAW

(group winners listed first, playing away on March 7): Atalanta vs. Sporting; Bayer Leverkusen vs. Qarabag; Brighton vs. Roma; Liverpool vs. Sparta Prague; Rangers vs. Benfica; Slavia Prague vs. AC Milan; Villarreal vs. Marseille; West Ham vs. Freiburg.