Arsenal draw AC Milan in Europa League last-16

Arsenal has been drawn to face Italian side AC Milan in the Europa League last 16.

Arsenal suffered the embarrassment of losing 2-1 at home to Swedish side Ostersund in the second leg of their first knockout round match on Thursday night but progressed 4-2 on aggregate.

They will now take on Milan, a team with great continental pedigree.

The Rossoneri have won the European Cup and Champions League seven times but have struggled in recent years, and are currently seventh in Serie A.

Arsenal and Milan last met in 2012, when the Italians advanced to the Champions League quarter-final with a 4-3 aggregate win. Milan won the first leg 4-0 at San Siro before Arsenal won the return 3-0 to fall agonisingly short of a miraculous comeback.

The first leg of this year’s Europa League last-16 tie will be played on Thursday, March 8 at San Siro, with the return a week later on March 15 at the Emirates. Kick-off times for the two matches will be confirmed on Friday afternoon.

Three-time Champions League winner Eric Abidal made the draw and said that the AC Milan v Arsenal match-up was the pick of the last 16 ties.

The draw in full was:

  • Lazio v Dynamo Kiev
  • RB Leipzig v Zenit St Petersburg
  • Atletico Madrid v Lokomotiv Moscow
  • CSKA Moscow v Olympique Lyonnais
  • Olympique de Marseille v Athletic Bilbao
  • Sporting Lisbon v Viktoria Plzen
  • Borussia Dortmund v FC Salzburg
  • AC Milan v Arsenal

The final in Lyon will be played on May 16