The UEFA Europa League knockout stage is underway as 16 teams fight for the trophy, a spot in the Champions League next season and the UEFA Super Cup.

The round of 16 of the new-look UEFA Europa League gets underway on March 6. But how does it all knit together? And why were those final league phase positions so important? Here's how it all works. The clubs that finished in the top eight went directly through to the round of 16.

The last 16 of the UEFA Europa League over the next two Thursdays, as things start to heat up on the Road to Bilbao. Eight teams successfully negotiated their knockout playoff round ties in February.