Man Utd paired with Danish side FC Midtjylland in Europa League draw

Three-times European champions Manchester United face Danish champions Midtjylland in the last 32 of the Europa League after failing to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase.

Jurgen Klopp is set to return to Germany as Liverpool were drawn against Augsburg and Tottenham were handed a tricky tie against Fiorentina, who knocked them out previous year.

Holders Sevilla face Molde, while Gary Neville’s Valencia will face Rapid Vienna and Tottenham take on Paulo Sousa’s Fiorentina in a repeat of last season’s last-32 tie.

The first legs will be played on Feb 18 and the return matches seven days later.

Rasmus Ankersen, club chairman, added that Midtjylland will draw on their Europa League play-off experience having slayed Southampton with a 2-1 aggregate score: “We beat an English team already this season in Southampton”. There is a mandate from the Premier League that Europa League teams will play their scheduled domestic fixture no earlier that Sunday at 4pm in a week where they have played in the continent’s secondary cup competition. Augsburg, a team Klopp knows well from his time in Germany as well as being an inferior opponent, is about as good as the Reds could’ve hoped.

Louis van Gaal is under increased pressure from Manchester United fans after failing to progress from their Champions League group.

He said: “The anticipation of facing Liverpool is huge”.

“I know that my words will not comfort you very much, but I must tell you that in these moments, the support you give even after such disappointments makes this club special”.

Midtjylland’s Finland worldwide midfielder Tim Sparv was one of the first players to react to the draw.

PSV Eindhoven profited from United’s demise as they joined Benfica, Roma, Dynamo Kiev and competition debutants Gent as the other teams in the second pot. “We will be outsiders against Liverpool, but are gladly accepting that role”.

Augsburg are 13th in the Bundesliga, only two points above the relegation zone.