Manchester United, winners of the competition in 2017, will have a lot of travelling to do to Eastern Europe after being drawn alongside Kazakhstan side Astana, Serbia's Partizan Belgrade and Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.
However, there was a softening in tone over eventual cases where league seasons may be cancelled -- an outcome UEFA had been quick to oppose.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich powered past third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt 4-0 with an impressive display of high-pressing football on Sunday.
A summary of Thursday's matches in the Europa League.
Images from UEFA Europa League semi-finals played on Thursday.
Tottenham Hotspur secured a place in the Europa League next season as they closed out their Premier League campaign with a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
UEFA bowed to the inevitable on Wednesday and suspended all Champions League and Europa League matches 'until further notice' due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The 24 sides through from the group phase join the eight third-placed finishers in the Champions League in Monday's draw, including Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam.
Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League final after holding their nerve to beat Rangers 5-4 in a clinical penalty shootout as they claimed their first European trophy in 42 years.
Manchester City came from behind to beat Club Brugge 3-1 and secure their place in the Champions League playoffs
Mourinho was hired as manager and technical director in June as Fenerbahce chase their first Turkish league title since 2014. He was attempting to get his new team into the revamped 36-team league stage of the Champions League, which he won with Porto in 2004 and Inter Milan in 2010.
IMAGES from Europa League matches played on Thursday.
AC Milan have been drawn to play Manchester United in what is the standout tie in next month's Europa League round of 16.
'We created loads of chances in our seven (Premier League) games but we have to step up.'
Ruud van Nistelrooy will take over on an interim basis.
Pogba, who rejoined United from Juventus last year, started all 15 games and scored three times in Europe's second-tier competition to help United lift the trophy for the first time in May.
Going into the ground, some Israel fans wore both Israeli and French colours. Two wore a t-shirt with Israeli club side Maccabi Tel Aviv's logo on the front and the words "Ni Oubli Ni Pardon" (Never Forgive Never Forget) on the back.
Manchester United were forced to dig deep to reach the Europa League semi-finals as Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes converted a 95th-minute penalty to secure a 1-0 win over a stubborn FC Copenhagen side after extra time on Monday.
Arsenal can sustain a Europa League challenge but a top-four finish in the Premier League would be the best way to reach next season's Champions League, manager Arsene Wenger has said.
Ajax keeper Remko Pasveer made five saves and scored on his own attempt to help the hosts win the shootout as Dutch international Brian Brobbey missed two penalties.
Rashford scores a brace as Man United fight back to beat Omonia
Images from Thursday's action in the Premier League.
Jarrod Bowen converted a last-gasp penalty to lift West Ham United to a 2-1 Premier League victory over Manchester United in a fluctuating clash between two struggling sides on Sunday.
A round-up of Saturday's action in the UEFA Nations League group stage matches.
UEFA has postponed all Champions League and Europa League matches due to take place next week because of the coronavirus outbreak, European soccer's governing body said in a statement on Friday.
IMAGES from the Europa League matches played on Thursday
Betis's Chimy Avila hit the post with an acrobatic volley one minute later and both teams wasted several chances for the winner late on.
Al-Nassr have appointed Stefano Pioli as manager to replace Luis Castro, the Saudi Pro League club said on Wednesday.
Europe's top club coaches gave their support on Thursday to the much-maligned Europa League.
Roma have taken just four points from their last five league matches, and were eliminated from the Coppa Italia last week in a 1-0 defeat to rivals Lazio.
IMAGES from the Europa League matches played on Thursday
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho said Friday's draw for the last 16 of the Europa League against Russian side Rostov has been unkind to his team, the favourites.
Harry Kane netted his 200th goal for Tottenham Hotspur as they won 3-1 at Ludogorets and AC Milan's 24-match unbeaten run ended
Alex Ferguson may have been stripped of his Manchester United ambassadorial role last week but his legacy as manager remains a stifling cloud for those following in his footsteps, with Erik ten Hag the latest to be jettisoned after failing to measure up.
Alexandre Lacazette's free-kick sent Arsenal into the Europa League semi-finals with a comfortable 1-0 win away over Napoli, while Chelsea beat Slavia Prague 4-3 in a roller-coaster game, helped by a Pedro brace.
Sevilla clinched a sixth Europa League title with a roller-coaster 3-2 win over Inter Milan after an overhead kick by defender Diego Carlos deflected by the Italian side's top scorer Romelu Lukaku settled a thrilling contest on Friday.
An early penalty by Alexis Mac Allister and a Darwin Nunez brace helped Liverpool to thrash Sparta Prague 5-1.
IMAGES from the Europa League semifinal played between Manchester United and Sevilla in Cologne on Sunday.
Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck a vital late goal to seal a 3-1 win over Valencia on Thursday and give his side breathing space for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final in Spain next week.
Chelsea will face Dynamo Kiev at home in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 tie, while London rivals Arsenal will travel to Rennes following Friday's draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
