Milan to face Werder Bremen

Competition favourites Milan will face Werder Bremen, one of the Champions League dropouts, in the last 32 of the UEFA Cup following yesterday's draw in Nyon, Switzerland.

The Italians, seven times European champions but who have never won the UEFA Cup, were sure to meet one of the Champions League third-place finishers after their 2-2 home draw with VfL Wolfsburg on Wednesday allowed the German side to top their qualifying group.

Bremen finished behind Panathinaikos and Inter in their Champions League group.

Wolfsburg's reward is a game against Paris St Germain, who sneaked through on goal difference thanks to their 4-0 win over Twente Enschede in their final group game this week.

If Milan progress they will meet either Olympiakos Piraeus or St Etienne in the last 16 after the draw for that round was also carried out at UEFA headquarters.

Holders Zenit St Petersburg, back in the competition after finishing third behind Real Madrid and Juventus in their Champions League group, were drawn against Stuttgart in the first knockout round.

If Zenit win they will play either Udinese or Polish outsiders Lech Poznan.

Four-times European champions Ajax Amsterdam will play Fiorentina, semi-finalists last season and currently fifth in Serie A.

All-English clash?

The prospect of an all-English clash between Aston Villa and Tottenham has been thrown up by yesterday's draw but both teams have to see off opponents from eastern Europe first.

Villa face CSKA Moscow, the only team in the group phase to win all four of their matches, while Spurs have to play Shakhtar Donetsk, of Ukraine.

The draw appears to have handed Manchester City the better chance of becoming the first English side since Liverpool in 2001 to win the tournament after they were paired with FC Copenhagen.

Last 32 draw

Paris St Germain vs VfL Wolfsburg
FC Copenhagen vs Manchester City
NEC Nijmegen vs Hamburg
Sampdoria vs Metalist Kharkiv
Braga vs Standard Liege
Aston Villa vs CSKA Moscow
Lech Poznan vs Udinese
Olympiakos Piraeus vs St Etienne
Fiorentina vs Ajax Amsterdam
AaB Aalborg vs Deportivo La Coruna
Werder Bremen vs Milan
Girondins Bordeaux vs Galatasaray
Dynamo Kiev vs Valencia
Zenit St Petersburg vs VfB Stuttgart
Marseille vs Twente Enschede
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Tottenham Hotspur

First legs: Feb. 18 and 19. Second legs: Feb. 26

Last 16 pairings

W. Bremen or Milan vs Olympiakos or St Etienne
Aston Villa or CSKA Moscow vs S. Donetsk or Tottenham
Lech Poznan or Udinese vs Zenit SP or VfB Stuttgart
Paris SG or Wolfsburg vs Braga or Standard Liege
Dynamo Kiev or Valencia vs Sampdoria or M. Kharkiv
FC Copenhagen or Man. City vs AaB Aalborg or Deportivo
Marseille or Twente Enschede vs Fiorentina or Ajax
NEC Nijmegen or Hamburg vs Bordeaux or Galatasaray

First legs: March 12. Second legs: March 18 and 19.