Manchester United to face Spanish leader Sociedad in Europa League

Arsenal, struggling at 15th place in the English Premier League, was the only team to win six group-stage games while Benfica finished runner-up to Rangers.

Manchester United was paired with Spanish league leader Real Sociedad in the round of 32 of the Europa League on Monday. United will play away first against Sociedad, which has been inspired this season by former Manchester City playmaker David Silva’s homecoming to Spain. In Monday’s draw, Arsenal got a tough pairing with Benfica, which also went unbeaten through the Europa League group stage.

This handout photograph taken and released on December 14, 2020 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) shows Portuguese football player Nuno Ricardo de Oliveira Ribeiro aka Maniche revealing the slip of Manchester United during the draw for the round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League football tournament at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon. - The draw for the round of 32 of the UEFA Europa League football tournament takes place virtually due to the new coronavirus pandemic. (Photo by Harold Cunningham / various sources / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / UEFA / HAROLD CUNNINGHAM" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS (AFP)

Arsenal, struggling at 15th place in the English Premier League, was the only team to win six group-stage games while Benfica finished runner-up to Rangers.

Seven-time European champion AC Milan was paired with 1991 European Cup winner Red Star Belgrade.

The Europa League knockout stage includes third-place teams — such as Man United — from the Champions League group stage.

Among the others, Ajax was drawn away to Lille, and Shakhtar Donetsk travels to face Maccabi Tel-Aviv.

Dynamo Kyiv will face Club Brugge in a pairing of two Champions League teams.

First-leg games are on Feb. 18 and return games are one week later.

The final is scheduled May 26 in Gdansk, Poland.