The draw for the knockout playoff round of the new-look UEFA Europa League has been made.  But how does this feed into the round-of-16 ties? When is the next draw? How does it all knit together? And why were those league phase positions so important?

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.

The Europa League's inaugural league phase has ended with Lazio topping the table and Manchester United and Tottenham finishing in the top eight