Super Eagles duo of Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze have avoided some top sides in the UEFA Europa League, UEL, following the round of 16 draw on Friday.
Both players and their club sides were kept away from teams like Serie A sides, Inter Milan and SSC Napoli, as well as Spanish clubs, Valencia and multiple Europa League winners, Sevilla.
While Iwobi was in superb form for the Gunners in their 3-0 defeat of Bate Borisov in the second leg of their round of 32 tie, Chukwueze was conspicuously missing as Villarreal secured a 1-1 draw at home to Sporting CP
??????? Arsenal v Rennes ??#UELdraw pic.twitter.com/xDmNekE4RP
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 22, 2019
After their respective aggregate victories over Borisov and Sporting in the round of 32, Iwobi’s Arsenal were drawn against French side, Rennes, while Chukwueze’s Villarreal were handed a tricky tie against Russia outfit, Zenit St. Petersburg.
Iwobi and Arsenal will host the first leg of the tie at the Emirate stadium, while Chukwueze’s Villarreal will make the trip to Russia.
?? Zenit v Villarreal ??#UELdraw pic.twitter.com/qUgip2x0Fg
— UEFA Europa League (@EuropaLeague) February 22, 2019
Elsewhere, other English side in UEFA’s second tier club competition, Chelsea, were drawn against the side from Ukraine, Dynamo Kyiv, while the duo of Benfica and Napoli were pitted against Dinamo Zagreb and Salzburg respectively.
The first leg matches will be played on 7 and 14 March.
Full Fixtures
Arsenal v Rennes
Zenit v Villarreal
Chelsea v Dynamo Kyiv
Frankfurt v Inter
Dinamo Zagreb v Benfica
Napoli v Salzburg
Valencia v Krasnodar
Sevilla v Slavia Praha
