The newly-introduced league phase of the Europa League came to a close on Thursday night with 18 matches taking place at the same time. Serie A side Lazio finished top of the 36-team table after going through the group phase with just one loss from their eight matches. The Italian side were joined by Manchester United, Tottenham, Eintracht Frankfurt, Athletic Club, Lyon, Olympiacos and Rangers in finishing in the top eight of the competition.

The top eight sides secured automatic passage through to the round of 16, which is scheduled to take place in March. United and Spurs - the only English sides in the competition - ensured a stress-free evening by comfortably beating FCSB and Elfsborg respectively. Mail Sport explains how the knock-out stage draw will work ahead of it taking place on Friday afternoon. The newly-introduced league phase of the Europa League came to a close on Thursday night with 18 matches taking place at the same time.

By choosing to scrap the traditional format of a four team group stage and bring in the single league phase, UEFA also needed to tweak the knock-out stages of the Europa League as a result. While eight teams automatically booked spots in the last-16, the teams ranked between ninth and 24th need to compete in an additional play-off round to seal their places. Last year, UEFA last opted to adopt a tennis-style seeding for the knockout stages - after the governing body worked out it would take 'three or four hours' to stage the draw manually under the competition's new format.

UEFA estimated the Champions League draw alone could last 'three or four hours' and feature around 900 balls had it been conducted in the same style as before. Where teams finished in the table ultimately formed the competition bracket, with teams earning seedings for the knock-out stage based on their position. Teams have been paired together, with Lazio and Athletic Club earning the top two seedings after finishing first and second. It means the only way the teams can meet in the competition this year is if they both advance to the final in Bilbao.

Similarly they can only face United and Spurs – who finished third and fourth respectively – at the semi-final stage. The top eight sides, having earned a seeding, will be drawn against the winners of the play-off round ties in the last-16. A win for Tottenham in north London sees them finish fourth in the group phase. Victory for Manchester United in Bucharest means they finished in 3rd spot in the table.

Victory for Manchester United in Bucharest means they finished in 3rd spot in the table, lining up a round of 16 match against one of Real Sociedad, Galatasaray, AZ Alkmaar or FC Midtjylland. A win for Tottenham in north London sees them have the same possible four opponents, having finished just one spot below United. Rangers - who finished in eighth - will face one of Bodo/Glimt, Anderlecht, FC Twente or Fenerbahce.