IT COULD GET MESSI
Rangnick can draw PSG in first Euro test at United
RALF RANGNICK’S first big Champions League test as boss of Manchester United could be against Lionel Messi and his superstar mates at Paris St-Germain.
United and Liverpool could land the dubious privilege because of the way the first knockout stage draw works.
The Argentine’s Paris St-Germain team of superstars finished behind Manchester City in Group A and will be unseeded in today’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland, which starts at 11am.
City cannot face the French side again in the last 16, while holders Chelsea are also unseeded after finishing second behind Juventus.
Liverpool became the first English side to win all six group games and are among the favourites for the title.
But the Anfield and Old Trafford clubs could be facing Messi along with Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Angel Di Maria in February.
The Qatar-owned club are desperate to win their first Champions League and coach Mauricio Pochettino said it will feel like failure if they do not triumph in St Petersburg’s Gazprom Arena on May 28.
The 2020 finalists have made their route to the final more difficult by failing to win away group games against Club Brugge and RB Leipzig, despite beating City at home in September. But Pochettino, who took Tottenham to the 2019 final before succeeding Thomas Tuchel in January, said: “We lost one match in the group, Manchester City lost twice, and we finished second.
‘‘But know that in performance terms we can improve and have to improve.
“All the teams we might face are good teams and each have their strengths. We will let fate decide who we play.
‘‘To win the title we have to play all the teams and we have to beat all the teams. We are not worried about who we are drawn against.” Last season 14 teams out of the last 16 came from the big four European leagues but this time it is only 10.
The best draw for the three seeded Premier League teams will be Salzburg of Austria or Portuguese sides Sporting Lisbon or Benfica.
Chelsea, who lost top spot in Group H when Zenit scored a late equaliser, would welcome playing French champions Lille or Erik ten Hag’s Ajax.
The away goals rule has been removed if scores are level after 180 minutes. Meanwhile, Rangers, who finished second in their Europa League group, will be seeded in the knockout round play-offs.
The eight runners-up from the Europa League group stage will face the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage. The eight winners will join the eight Europa League group winners in the last 16.
Leicester will learn their opponents in the Europa Conference League playoffs after finishing third in their Europa League group. The two-legged ties will take place on February 17 and 24.
Tottenham’s Europa Conference League match against Rennes, called off due to a Covid outbreak at the North London club, will not be rescheduled.
UEFA are expected to award a 3-0 win to the French club, which will leave Tottenham third in their group and therefore eliminated.