UEFA Europa League: Dinamo Zagreb to face Benfica in last 16

by croatiaweek
February 22, 2019
in Sport

Dinamo Zagreb celebrates reaching the last 16 (Photo: HNS)

NYON, 22 February 2019 – Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb will meet Benfica in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League after the draw was made in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday.

Dinamo Zagreb advanced through to the last 16 after turning around a 2-1 first-leg deficit last night in Zagreb against FC Viktoria Plzeň to win 4-2 on aggregate.

The Portuguese club advanced through to the last 16 with a 2-1 win on aggregate over Turkish side Galatasaray. Benfica are currently in second place, one point behind Porto in the Portuguese Primeira League.

The first leg will be played on 7 March in Zagreb, and the second legs will be played on 14 March 2019 in Lisbon.

Dinamo Zagreb and Benfica have met three times before with two victories in Benfica’s favour and one draw. The last meeting was in the 2004/5 UEFA Cup which Benfica won 2-0.

The last time Dinamo Zagreb has got this far in European competitions was back in 1970 when they reached the quarterfinals of the Cup Winners’ Cup.

The final of the UEFA Europa League will be played on 29 May in Baku, Azerbaijan.