Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen confirmed their status as the favourites to win the Europa League this season by comfortably advancing to the quarter-finals on Thursday. The two teams had won their first-leg matches away from home and completed the job with convincing home victories.
Liverpool thrash Sparta Prague 4-0 at Anfield
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool had no trouble disposing of Sparta Prague, who had put up a brave fight in the first leg but were outclassed at Anfield. The Reds scored four goals in the first half, with Diogo Jota opening the scoring in the 12th minute with a header from a Trent Alexander-Arnold cross. Sadio Mane doubled the lead in the 25th minute with a low shot from the edge of the box, before Roberto Firmino made it 3-0 in the 33rd minute with a clever flick from a James Milner pass. Mohamed Salah completed the rout in the 43rd minute with a powerful strike from a Jota assist.
Liverpool eased off in the second half, with Klopp making several substitutions to rest his key players for the crucial Premier League clash with Manchester City on Sunday. Sparta Prague had a few chances to score a consolation goal, but Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker was alert to deny them. The final whistle confirmed Liverpool’s 7-1 aggregate win and their place in the last eight of the competition.
Leverkusen hammer Qarabag 5-1 in Germany
Bayer Leverkusen also had a comfortable night at home, as they crushed Qarabag 5-1 to seal a 7-2 aggregate victory. The Bundesliga leaders, who are unbeaten in all competitions this season, showed their quality and depth with a dominant display. Adam Hlozek scored a hat-trick for the hosts, with the 18-year-old Czech sensation netting in the 17th, 54th and 71st minutes. Edmond Tapsoba and Florian Wirtz also got on the scoresheet for Leverkusen, who had 70% possession and 23 shots on goal. Qarabag’s only goal came from a penalty by Mahir Emreli in the 64th minute, after Tapsoba had fouled him in the box.
Leverkusen’s manager Xabi Alonso, who won the Europa League with Liverpool in 2001, praised his team’s performance and said they were ready for any challenge in the next round. “We played very well today, we controlled the game and scored some great goals. I’m very happy with the team and the way we are playing. We have a lot of confidence and we want to go as far as possible in this competition. We don’t fear anyone, we respect everyone, but we believe in ourselves,” he said.
Other results and quarter-final draw
The other six teams that qualified for the quarter-finals of the Europa League are Brighton and Hove Albion, West Ham United, Rangers, Roma, AC Milan and Slavia Prague. The draw for the quarter-finals and the semi-finals will take place on March 15, with the first legs scheduled for April 4 and the second legs for April 11. The final will be held in Dublin on May 22.
