Europa League Draw 2016-17: Round-of-16 Fixture Schedule and Dates Released

Manchester United will face FC Rostov in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 following Friday's draw in Nyon, Switzerland, while their biggest rivals in the tournament will play each other.

AS Roma have been drawn against Lyon, and Schalke 04 will take on Borussia Monchengladbach in an all-German tie.

The first legs—in which teams drawn first will be at home—are to be played on Thursday, March 9, while the return legs will be held the following week on Thursday, March 16.

Here's the full draw:

Celta Vigo	vs.	FK Krasnodar
Apoel Nicosia	vs.	Anderlecht
Schalke 04	vs.	Borussia Monchengladbach
Lyon	vs.	AS Roma
FC Rostov	vs.	Manchester United
Olympiakos	vs.	Besiktas
KAA Gent	vs.	KRC Genk
FC Copenhagen	vs.	Ajax

Manchester United Handed Straightforward Tie in Round of 16

Jose Mourinho's side eased through the last 32 as they beat AS Saint-Etienne 4-0 on aggregate, and they should hold serious ambitions of winning the trophy.

Not only is it a major piece of silverware, but it's also the only major honour the club are yet to add to their considerable trophy cabinet.

As an added bonus, it also ensures qualification into next season's UEFA Champions League. Considering that finishing in the top four is far from guaranteed this year with six teams competing for those places, the Europa League could be the club's best chance of reaching Europe's premier competition.

In their way stand Rostov. United shouldn't have too much difficulty in this tie, particularly over two legs—they should be fine provided they avoid complacency.

Football writers Liam Canning and Jonas Giaever believe the draw is almost perfect for United:

Indeed, the only real issue for United is the timing of the tie, with their FA Cup quarter-final at Chelsea on March 13 sandwiched between the two legs.

Roma will have their eye on the trophy also—they're second in Serie A, but making up a seven-point deficit on Juventus will be difficult.

The Giallorossi swept aside Villarreal 4-1 over two legs in the last round, and that's no mean feat—the Spanish side boast the best defence in La Liga with just 15 goals conceded in 23 matches.

With strength running throughout their side, they're among the best teams left in the competition.

As OptaPaolo noted, the Italians have the advantage in their brief head-to-head record:

Lyon are among the more difficult teams they could have drawn and should not be taken lightly—they beat AZ Alkmaar 11-2 on aggregate in the last round.

Nevertheless, Luciano Spalletti's side should progress to the quarter-finals if they play their best.