Who could Manchester United, Tottenham and Rangers face in UEFA Europa League last 16? Play

Some of Europe's greatest clubs were involved in the draw, and there are some fascinating fixtures on display - with plenty on the line as just eight spots in the last 16 remain.

Those representing the Premier League - namely Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur - secured victories on Thursday to make their spot safe, but some were not so fortunate.

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With that in mind, here is everything you need to know about the Europa League knockout phase.

Who could Man Utd, Spurs and Rangers face in UEFA Europa League last 16?

The draw for the last 16 will not take place until February 21, so the top eight will have to wait to learn their fate.

However, the new format means each team has four possible opponents at this stage.

All three British teams progressed automatically to the last 16 after cementing their places in the top eight in the final round of fixtures.

Manchester United finished the league phase in third despite being the only team in the competition not to lose a game.

The Red Devils are now set to face either AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Real Sociedad or Galatasaray when their UEFA Europa League campaign resumes.

Tottenham finished one place behind their Premier League rivals in fourth, meaning they have the same four possible opponents as United in the last 16.

It was confirmed in the play-off draw that AZ will face Galatasaray, while Real Sociedad and Midtjylland will do battle. In both matches, a blockbuster last-16 tie with a Premier League tie is at stake.

Rangers finished eighth in the league phase table after they secured a 2-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise on matchday eight.

Full UEFA Europa League knockout phase play-off draw and path to quarter-finals

Ferencvaros v Viktoria Plzen

FC Porto v AS Roma

The winners will face either Lazio or Athletic Club

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FC Twente v Bodo/Glimt

Fenerbahce v Anderlecht

The winners will face Rangers or Olympiacos

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Union SG v Ajax

PAOK v FCSB

The winners will face either Lyon or Frankfurt

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AZ Alkmaar v Galatasaray

Midtjylland v Real Sociedad

The winners will face Tottenham or Manchester United

The first legs of the knockout phase play-offs are on February 13, with the second legs on February 20.

Who do Mourinho's Fenerbahce face in the UEFA Europa League play-offs?

Jose Mourinho is a regular in Europe's esteemed competitions, but faces a new kind of challenge as he looks to guide Turkish side Fenerbahce to Europa League glory.

His side just about squirmed into a play-off spot in the league phase standings, occupying 24th - setting them up for a tie against either Anderlecht, who finished 10th, with a tie against either Rangers or Olympiacos on the line.

Meanwhile, AS Roma take on FC Porto - the victors of which will face either Lazio or Athletic Club in the last 16.

How does bracket format work?

From the knockout phase play-off stage onwards, the UEFA Europa League takes a bracket format.

So how does it work? Sides who finished between ninth and 16th in the league phase standings are seeded for the play-offs, while those between 17th and 24th are unseeded.

Teams are then paired by their final position in the league phase table, so, ninth and 10th are paired, 11th and 12th, etc, creating four pairs of seeded teams, and four pairs of unseeded teams.

Ahead of Friday's draw, each team involved knew their potential play-off opponents. Those positioned 23rd and 24th would meet those placed ninth or 10th. And it continues in that exact manner, 21st and 22nd clashing against teams placed either 11th or 12th, and so on.

But what is the significance of the bracket format?

From here, teams who were paired together will split off into separate sides of the draw, meaning they cannot meet until the final.

During the draw, unseeded teams (17th-24th) were first drawn into a bracket position, and the seeded teams are drawn thereafter - forming the round of play-off fixtures.

But the bracket is significant in splitting up some of the competition's well-matched sides. And the same will occur when the last 16 draw is made in February.

The winners of the play-off tie will be drawn between their corresponding, potential last 16 opponents. For example, Manchester United could face one of AZ Alkmaar, Midtjylland, Real Sociedad or Galatasaray in the knockouts.

Ruben Amorim's side will not learn their fate until the draw is made, but they are guaranteed to land on the opposite side of the draw to Tottenham - due to being paired by their third and fourth-placed finishes.

Can teams from the same country face each other?

Two teams from the same national association can be drawn against each other from the knockout phase play-offs onwards.

While this did not materialise at this particular point of the competition, it did occur in the UEFA Champions League play-off draw, with Paris Saint-Germain and Brest set to clash for a last-16 spot.

To add another layer of intrigue, clubs can also face sides they played during the league phase.

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