Barcelona advance in the Europa League: Dates, draw, possible rival in the round of 16

Barcelona got the job done against Napoli to move another step forward in their quest for the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League trophy. It’s clear this is not the tournament the Cules wanted to play but a successful campaign would send them back to Champions League soccer next season.

Following a sour 1-1 draw at the Camp Nou, Xavi Hernandez‘s men got off to an impressivestart to the return leg in Naples. Jordi Alba put Barca ahead early in the game before Frenkie de Jong extended the lead with a wonderful goal to pave the way to a massive win.

However, there’s still a long way to go for the Cules in the continental tournament. Now, their sights are set on the Europa League round of 16, where they could face another strong opponent.

When is the Europa League Round of 16 draw?

The 2021-22 UEFA Europa League round of 16 draw will take place on February 25 at 12 CETat the House of European Football in Nyon, Switzerland. The draw will feature16 clubs:

• Eight group winners from theEuropa League group phase
• Eight winners from theEuropa League knockout round playoffs

The group winners, who will play the return leg at home, are seeded and play against the winners of the knockout round play-offs. It’s important to note that clubs from the same association cannot be drawn against each other.

When will Barcelona play in the Europa League round of 16?

The 2021-22 UEFA Europa League will resume in March for the next stage of the competition. Barcelona will play the first leg of the Europa League round of 16 on March 10, while the return leg will be played a week later, on March 17.

• First leg: March 10
• Second leg: March 17

Who could be the next opponent of Barcelona in the Europa League?

The next opponent of Barcelona in the Europa League will be known on February 25 during the 2021-22 UEFA Europa League round of 16 draw. However, their rival will be agroup winner. That means Barcelona will face one of these teams:

• Olympique Lyon
• AS Monaco
• Spartak Moscow
• Eintracht Frankfurt
• Bayern Leverkusen
• West Ham
• Galatasaray
• FK Crvena zvezda