Format, fixtures, more ]Premier League sides Manchester United (3rd - 18 points) and Tottenham (4th - 17 points) are two of the eight that will avoid the first knockout round. Lazio (19 points) finished top with Athletic Bilbao behind them only on goal difference.

NYON, Switzerland — Draw made Friday for the knockout playoffs round in the Europa League: Feb. 13 Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) vs. Ajax (Netherlands) AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands) vs. Galatasaray (Turkey) Midtjylland (Denmark) vs. Real Sociedad (Spain)

A pre-match tifo in the impressive National Arena, celebrating the recently-departed Helmut Duckadam, the goalkeeper who saved four shootout penalties against Barcelona in the 1986 European Cup final to bring Ol’ Big Ears behind the Iron Curtain, told you that this remains Steaua in all but official name.