Europa Conference League draw: Aston Villa vs Ajax confirmed - dates of two legs and how to get tickets

It's confirmed: Aston Villa will play Ajax Amsterdam in the UEFA Europa Conference League round of 16 following Thursday lunchtime's draw in Lyon, France. The tie will be played across two legs and the aggregate victor will then advance to the quarter-finals.

Unai Emery, a serial winner of continental competitions, will be keen to add to his already impressive trophy collection. The Spaniard famously guided Sevilla to three successive UEFA Europa League titles between 2014 and 2016 before adding another with Villarreal in 2021.

Villa are the early favourites to become the third to be crowned champions of the newly-formed Europa Conference League, following on from AS Roma and West Ham United. It will be tricky, however, with plenty of strong teams still in the competition including Fiorentina, Lille, Fenerbahce, and of course Ajax.

Dates for the UECL round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-final and final

The first leg of the round of 16 is scheduled for March 7, with the second leg a week later on March 14. Kick-off times will vary between 5.45pm and 8pm. The quarter-finals will take place on April 11 and April 18, the semi-finals on May 2 and May 9, and the final on May 29.

How to get tickets for the Aston Villa vs Ajax

Details will be confirmed in due course, expected to be within seven days of the draw date. Villa opened ticket sales for the group stage exactly seven days after that was drawn. It could be even quicker this time around with the first leg merely 13 days away.

Prices will also be announced at the same time, likely to be similar to those chosen for the earlier fixtures – between £35 and £25 depending on the zone in Villa Park. The away leg could differ somewhat depending on the opponents' decision.