Three-time European champions United, arguably the biggest name in the draw, qualified as group winners while Brugge drop in from the Champions League after finishing behind Paris St Germain and Real Madrid.
Draw for Europa League round of 32
Ajax Amsterdam’s consolation for exiting the Champions League at the group phase is a two-legged tie with Spanish side Getafe, while Inter Milan face Bulgarians Ludogorets.
“We’ve not had a lot of luck in the draw,” Getafe’s sporting director Angel Martin Gonzales said. “They’re a big side but that helps us grow, too.”
Two other clubs who failed to progress to the Champions League knockout rounds face off with Benfica up against Shakhtar Donetsk. AS Roma play Gent while former European champions Porto face Bayer Leverkusen, one of three German clubs in the draw.
Sevilla, the most successful club in Europa League history with five titles, play Romanian outfit CFR Cluj.
Eintracht Frankfurt face Champions League drop-outs Salzburg while VfL Wolfsburg take on Malmo.
United are one of three English clubs in the last 32 with Arsenal handed a testing tie against Greek club Olympiakos Piraeus. Wolverhampton Wanderers face Espanyol in what will be their first clash with a Spanish club since losing 9-2 on aggregate to Barcelona in the 1959-60 European Cup quarter-finals.
“It’s a big challenge for us to play against Arsenal, last year’s UEFA Europa League finalists,” Olympiakos coach Pedro Martins said. “They may not have started well in the Premier League this season, but they have great players, are dangerous and deserve our respect.”
Scotland’s former European champions Celtic are up against Copenhagen while Rangers face Portuguese club Braga. Sporting take on Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir.
Full draw
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Espanyol
Sporting v Istanbul Basaksehir
Getafe v Ajax Amsterdam
Bayer Leverkusen v Porto
Copenhagen v Celtic
APOEL v Basel
CFR Cluj v Sevilla
Olympiacos v Arsenal
AZ Alkmaar v LASK
Club Brugge v Manchester United
Ludogorets v Inter Milan
Eintracht Frankfurt v Salzburg
Shakhtar Donetsk v Benfica
VfL Wolfsburg v Malmo
AS Roma v Gent
Rangers v Braga
The ties will be played on Feb. 20 and 27.
