Rangers paired with Benfica as Liverpool drawn against Sparta Prague in the last 16 of the Europa League

The Gers will travel to the Portguese capital for the first leg on March 7, before a return at Ibrox a week later in a competition Rangers have twice been runners-up in.

Liverpool will also be away for the first leg in Prague, while Brighton face another glamour tie against Roma.

Brighton’s maiden European campaign takes them to the Italian capital after they topped Group B containing Marseille, Ajax and AEK Athens.

Europa Conference League holders West Ham face German team Freiburg, whilst Marseille square off against Villarreal, Sporting Lisbon take on Atalanta, AC Milan and Slavia Prague lock horns, with German leaders Bayer Leverkusen meeting Qarabag.

Liverpool reached the knockout phase of Europe’s second-tier competition by topping Group E.

Sparta are the reigning Czech champions and qualified for the knockout round play-off by finishing second in Group C. The clubs met in this competition back in 2011.

Brighton face a Roma side which reached the last 16 with a penalty shoot-out victory over Feyenoord in a play-off on Thursday night. The Giallorossi are in transition following the decision last month to sack Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho.

West Ham will feel confident of overcoming Freiburg, having beaten them home and away in the group stage earlier this season, while Scottish Premiership Rangers met Benfica in the Europa League group stage in 2020-21.

The Europa League final will take place in Dublin on May 22.