Europa League Draw 2017-18: Schedule of Dates for Round-of-16 Fixtures

Arsenal were paired with AC Milan in the round of 16 in the UEFA Europa League on Friday.

Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid will face Lokomotiv Moscow and Borussia Dortmund take on Red Bull Salzburg.

Final hosts Lyon play CSKA Moscow, while Lazio will go head-to-head with Dynamo Kiev following the draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

Here is the draw in full:

Lazio vs. Dynamo Kiev

RB Leipzig vs. Zenit St Petersburg

Atletico Madrid vs. Lokomotiv Moscow

CSKA Moscow vs. Lyon

Marseille vs. Athletic Bilbao

Sporting CP vs. Viktoria Plzen

Borussia Dortmund vs. Red Bull Salzburg

AC Milan vs. Arsenal

The first-leg matches will be played on Thursday, March 8, and the second legs a week later on March 15. 

The Europa League is a superb trophy to win, but it takes on extra significance for the Gunners this season.

With the team lying sixth in the Premier League, eight points back on fourth-placed Chelsea, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League could come down to winning the second-tier competition, as Manchester United did last year.

ADRIAN DENNIS/Getty Images

On Thursday, Arsenal received a stark warning as they lost 2-1 to Swedish side Ostersund after they entered the second leg of their tie feeling complacent on the back of a 3-0 win in the first.

The Gunners should be treating the competition with the utmost respect, so they can't afford any more slip-ups.

Complacency shouldn't be a problem against the Rossoneri, as they're a tough draw for Arsenal and progressing to the quarter-finals will be difficult.

The pair last met in the Champions League in 2012, with Arsenal's 3-0 victory at the Emirates Stadium not sufficient to overturn the 4-0 defeat they suffered at the San Siro.

John Cross of the Mirror and James Olley of the Evening Standard anticipate a tough time for the Gunners:

Atletico are second in La Liga and aren't relying on the Europa League as a path to the Champions League, but the 2010 and 2012 winners are arguably the best team in the competition and will have their sights set on victory.

Against Lokomotiv, they should have little trouble reaching the final eight.