A lucky draw for the Europa League round of 16, at least on paper, for Milan, while for Roma there is a fascinating challenge with Roberto De Zerbi.
Atalanta finds Sporting Lisbon again, already rivals in the group when the Dea won 2-1 in Portugal, and in the Conference Fiorentina will have to face Maccabi Haifa.
What will see the Viola as protagonists is a double match that holds some unknowns, given the international situation: for security reasons, the Israelis cannot play at home and UEFA will therefore have to indicate an alternative venue for the first leg match.
Meanwhile, Vincenzo Italiano is happy because two of the potential winners of the third European competition, Ajax and Aston Villa, have been paired and therefore one of the two will be eliminated.
The first of the Italians to know their opponent, from the UEFA ballot, was Roma, who will have to deal with Brighton, a team that De Zerbi managed to bring to Europe for the first time, until entering the list of coaches under Barca's observation for after Xavi.
In the Premier League he currently occupies seventh place, which would guarantee him a presence in continental competitions next season too.
Meanwhile there is this double challenge with Roma.
In the summer, the 'Seagulls' lost two big players such as the world champion McAllister, who moved to Liverpool for 42 million, and the other midfielder Moises Caicedo, who Chelsea overpaid, paying 116 million.
The Blues also took goalkeeper Sanchez from Brighton for 28.7 million.
In total, last summer the 'Gabbiani' sold players for 160 million, with which they remade the team.
Thus arrived the various Joao Pedro, a former Watford Brazilian who has scored 19 times so far in all competitions (6 goals in the Europa League), Barco, Enciso (now injured), the former Viola Igor Ferguson and Ansu Fati, the latter on loan from Barcelona.
They are added to elements that De Zerbi had already launched in the meantime, namely Buonanotte, Ferguson (19 year old Irish talent) and the Japanese Mitoma.
Also noteworthy is the presence in the squad of three old acquaintances such as former Liverpool players Adam Lallana and James Milner and Danny Welbeck.
The formation is that of 4-3-3, or sometimes 4-2-3-1.
Milan, as its honorary vice-president Franco Baresi says, if it is informed it fears no one;
Stefano Pioli and his team will have to deal with Slavia Prague, who won their team in the group stage in which Roma was also there and have on the bench that Jindrich Trpisovsky who is considered a 'saint' in his homeland and with Slavia he won three championships, four national cups and one Super Cup.
Up front there are insidious people, like Mojmír Chytil and Vaclav Jurecka, for a defense like the AC Milan one which is conceding too many goals, while there is a talent with a heavy surname, Lukas Masopust, who provides imagination.
In defense David Zima arrived from Turin in January.
Also in January, Lukas Vorlicky, ex Atalanta, was also purchased.
Atalanta finds Sporting Lisbon again with the CR7 branded shirts that they already met in the group stage, drawing in Bergamo and winning in Lisbon in two matches that offered ample glimpses of football spectacle.
Gasperini knows his rival, so he won't make the mistake of underestimating the team coached by Ruben Amorim, who is having a great season at home, with 18 wins in 21 league games and consequent first place in the standings on par with Benfica.
The result, primarily, of the performance of the Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres, 29 goals so far this season, for which Coventry were paid 21 million euros last summer.
In defense there are two 'jewels' like the Ivorian Diomande and Inacio who are liked by half of Europe.
The midfield director is former Lecce player Hjulmand, wanted by Amorim, while Trincao, former heir apparent of Cristiano Ronaldo, also plays forward.
Maccabi Haifa, a club whose squad has eleven Israeli national teams and is valued at a total of 26 million euros, has won 15 league titles at home and last season in the Champions League achieved a historic success (2-0) against Juventus, who now hopes to respond at Viola's expense.
The coach is the 38-year-old Messay Dego, whose contract expires at the end of the season, who hopes to gain confirmation also through a good run in Europe.
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