United’s fall from grace means cut-price tie against Midtjylland

Manchester United have confirmed that ticket prices will be reduced by approximately 25 per cent for the Europa League last-32 tie against FC Midtjylland and beyond should Louis van Gaal’s team overcome the Danish champions.

Having dropped out of the Champions League last week following a 3-2 group defeat against Wolfsburg, United were paired with Midtjylland – the qualifying round conquerors of Southampton – in yesterday’s draw in Nyon.

Nicknamed “The Wolves”, Midtjylland will host United at their 11,800- capacity MCH Arena in Herning on 18 February before the second leg at Old Trafford seven days later.

With United entering the Europa League for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign, the club has chosen to cut ticket prices and allow season-ticket holders to opt out of the controversial automatic cup scheme –whereby costs for home cup games are automatically debited from supporters’ bank accounts – should they wish not to attend Europa League ties.

Tottenham Hotspur have been handed a difficult tie against Fiorentina, who lie second in Serie A, four points behind Internazionale. The two clubs met at the same stage of last season’s competition, with Fiorentina eliminating the Londoners 3-1 on aggregate.

Liverpool’s manager, Jürgen Klopp, was denied a reunion with his previous club Borussia Dortmund, who were paired with FC Porto in a heavyweight tie, but he will return to Germany, with the Merseysiders landing European debutants Augsburg in the draw.

In one potentially problematic pairing, the Turkish club Fenerbahce were drawn against Lokomotiv Moscow at a time when tensions between Turkey and Russia are escalating as a result of the conflict in Syria.