Europa League last-32 draw: Arsenal to face Ostersund; Celtic meet Zenit St Petersburg

Ostersund are managed by Englishman Graham Potter, who has taken them from the Swedish fourth division to the top-ranked Allsvenskan in six years, and qualified for the Europa League by winning their domestic cup last season.

They duly reached the group stage in which they were one of the surprise packages, finishing second to Athletic Bilbao - a side they held at home. Hertha Berlin and Zorya Luhansk were the teams that finished below them.

Arsenal, who were made 6/1 second favourites to lift the trophy in Lyon in May following the draw by Sky Bet, won their group with something to spare despite fielding a reserve-strength side in every fixture and it will be interesting to see how Arsene Wenger's approach changes, if at all, when the competition resumes in February.

Celtic managed to finish third in their Champions League group despite collecting just three points. However, that paltry haul meant they were unseeded in Monday's draw and they were handed a tough draw against highly-rated Zenit, currently managed by Roberto Mancini.

Brendan Rodgers' side are 100/1 to win the trophy with Zenit offered at 33/1.

Rodgers said: "We are delighted to be in the draw, it is a really exciting game for us.

"St Petersburg is a beautiful city from my memory so we will look forward to that when the game comes along and it will be nice to see Roberto Mancini again."

Rodgers recalled how he almost joined Mancini as a first-team coach at Manchester City before he joined Swansea.

"When I was rejected as a manager at Reading and was in between jobs and I didn't think I was going to get a manager's job," he said.

"I was in talks with Manchester City about maybe going back there as a first-team coach.

"I spoke to the club, all went well and I flew out to Milan to meet Roberto.

"We had a nice chat and it ended up that not long after that I got the job at Swansea as a manager."

Arsenal will be away in their first leg on February 15 with Celtic at home on the same night. The second legs take place seven days later.

Having, like Celtic, dropped into the competition from the Champions League, Atletico Madrid are the 7/2 favourites.

Four of the last nine Europa League winners have been Champions League 'drop-outs' while nine of the last 10 finals have featured at least one such team.

Holders Manchester United are not defending their crown as they have reached the last 16 of the Champions League.

AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund (both 9/1) are the other sides not available at double-figure quotes.

For Ostersund defender and Arsenal fan Ronald Mukiibi, playing at the Emirates will be a dream come true.

"We will play the team I've followed for my whole life. Who could have predicted it?," he told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet.

"It's a dream. It's about hitting your targets as a football player.

"I had hoped to play for Arsenal at the Emirates, but now I can play against them in the same stadium. Life works in mysterious ways."

Full Europa League last-32 draw

Borussia Dortmund v Atalanta

Nice v Lokomotiv Moscow

FC Copenhagen v Atletico Madrid

Spartak Moscow v Athletic Bilbao

AEK Athens v Dynamo Kiev

Celtic v Zenit St Petersburg

Napoli v Leipzig

Red Star Belgrade v CSKA Moscow

Lyon v Villarreal

Real Sociedad v Red Bull Salzburg

Partizan Belgrade v Vitoria Plzen

Steaua Bucharest v Lazio

Ludogorets v AC Milan

Astana v Sporting Lisbon

Ostersund v Arsenal

Marseille v Braga

Related links

• Sky Bet's updated Europa League odds
• Champions League last-16 draw