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BREAKING: UEFA Champions League Last-16 Draw To Be Redone After Technical Error

Sportsmail understands that UEFA are preparing to re-do the draw at 2:00pm UK time after United and Atletico sought clarification from the governing body over a number of errors made during the initial draw at 11:00am on Monday.

The UEFA Champions League last-16 draw is set to be redrawn after a 'technical problem' saw Manchester United pitted against group rivals Villarreal, and omitted from being drawn against Atletico Madrid, a report by DailyMail said on Monday. Manchester United were drawn twice, with another one pitting the team against PSG of France. 

Sportsmail understands that UEFA are preparing to re-do the draw at 2:00pm UK time after United and Atletico sought clarification from the governing body over a number of errors made during the initial draw at 11:00am on Monday.   

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The draw for the next round first took place in Nyon, Switzerland, where former Arsenal star Andriy Arshavin was tasked with drawing the remaining 16 teams from the pot.

However, UEFA chief, Giorgio Marchetti, was forced to intervene midway through the draw after United were pitted against Villarreal. 

United qualified for the knockout stage of the competition after finishing top of Group F which contained Villarreal, Young Boys and Atalanta.

Teams that have faced each other in the group stage are not permitted to face one another in the last-16 and there was much dismay when Arshavin plucked United out of the pot after Marchetti had picked out Villarreal.

“No, this is not possible because Manchester United was in the group, so we need to draw another one," Marchetti said.

Arshavin then selected United's arch rivals Manchester City as the side to take on Unai Emery's Europa League winners early next year.

Michael Heselschwerdt, UEFA's Head of Club Competitions, was tasked with providing the correct balls for Arshavin to draw and he included United in the pot. 

Seven balls were in the pot when there should have been five.

United were incorrectly included as were Real Madrid.

Teams from the same country are also unable to face each other in the last-16. 

Following this, United were also incorrectly omitted from the pot to face Atletico Madrid, who were drawn against Bayern Munich.

Liverpool faced Atletico in the group stage and were also incorrectly included.

UEFA have since revealed that a 'technical problem' was the cause for the errors with an external service provider instructing the officials as to which teams are eligible to be drawn.

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