Manchester United will face Barcelona in their Europa League play-off in February, while Jose Mourinho’s Roma will take on RB Salzburg.
Xavi’s side dropped into the competition after finishing third in their Champions League group, while Man Utd lost out on top spot to Real Sociedad.
The two sides have faced each other 13 times in European competition, although Man Utd have only won three of these meetings. The last came in April 2008 with Man Utd winning 1-0 on aggregate in the Champions League semi-finals.
After a goalless draw at the Nou Camp, Paul Scholes’ 14th-minute winner at Old Trafford knocked Barcelona out. Man Utd would go on to win the competition that year, beating Chelsea on penalties in the final.
But Barcelona have won each of the last four meetings, including two Champions League finals. They were 2-0 winners at the Stadio Olimpico in May 2009 and beat Man Utd 3-1 at Wembley two years later.
Their last European match-up was in the 2018/19 quarter-finals with Barcelona winning 4-0 on aggregate.
It is also a chance for Cristiano Ronaldo to face off against his former El Clásico rival. The ex-Real Madrid man has scored 20 goals in 34 career appearances against Barcelona, although has never managed to do so for Man Utd.
The Europa League play-off comes in the middle of a busy February for Man Utd, who also face Leeds, Leicester and Brentford in the Premier League.
Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho’s Roma will face RB Salzburg with the possibility of being drawn against his former Man Utd side if both teams qualify for the last 16.
Fellow Serie A side Juventus will take on Nantes, Sevilla – six-time winners of the Europa League – will face PSV Eindhoven and Erik ten Hag’s former team Ajax will take on Bundesliga side Union Berlin.
Europa League play-off fixtures in full
- Barcelona vs Man Utd
- Juventus vs Nantes
- Sporting Lisbon vs FC Midtjylland
- Shakhtar Donetsk vs Rennes
- Ajax vs Union Berlin
- Bayer Leverkusen vs Monaco
- Sevilla vs PSV Eindhoven
- RB Salzburg vs Roma
