Europa League last 16: When is the draw? Who can Brighton and Hove Albion play? How does the draw work? When are the play-offs?

Brighton players before their final Europa League group game against Marseille at the American Express Stadium. Picture: Eva Gilbert

Roberto De Zerbi’s side beat Marseille 1-0 to secure an automatic route to the last 16. If the they had finished second, they would have had to face a Champions League side in a play-off.

Brighton are joined in the last 16 by Liverpool, Rangers and West Ham.

When are the Europa League play-off and last 16 draws?

The Europa League play-off draw will be held at 12noon on Monday, December 18 at 12noon at the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The draw for the round of 16 will be held on 23 February, with the first legs played on 7 March and the second legs taking place on 14 March.

How does the draw work?

Each runner-up from the Europa League group stages will be seeded and drawn against teams who finished third in the Champions League groups, who are all unseeded. Teams cannot draw a club who are from the same country. The eight group winners advance straight to the last 16 where they will be seeded against the eight knockout play-off round winners and, again teams cannot draw a club who are from the same country.

Who is through in the Europa League?

Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen, Brighton, Liverpool, Rangers, Villarreal, Slavia Prague, West Ham all won their group and are into the last 16:

Seeded in play-offs: Freiburg, Marseille, Qarabag, Rennes, Roma, Sparta Prague, Sporting Lisbon, Toulouse.

Unseeded in play-offs: Benfica, Braga, Feyenoord, Galatasaray, Lens, Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk, Young Boys.

Who can Brighton play in the last 16 of the Europa League?

Brighton cannot face any of the group winners which are Liverpool, West Ham, Bayer Leverkusen of Germany, Villarreal of Spain, Slavia Prague of the Czech Republic, Rangers of Scotland and Atalanta of Italy. They would not face Marseille either if they were to get through the play-off. The teams Brighton could play are Freiburg, Qarabag, Rennes, Roma, Sparta Prague, Sporting Lisbon, Toulouse, Benfica, Braga, Feyenoord, Galatasaray, Lens, Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk, Young Boys.

Brighton will be seeded in the last 16 draw after winning their Europa League group, meaning the second-leg tie will be played at the American Express Stadium.