Jürgen Klopp has taken a big step towards the quarter-finals of the Europa League with Liverpool FC. AS Roma and Olympique Marseille are also close to progressing.
In the first leg of the round of 16 at Sparta Prague, the English first division soccer team won 5-1 (3-0) on Thursday evening (March 7th, 2024). Alexis Mac Allister (6th minute/foul penalty), Darwin Núñez (25th/45th+3), Luis Díaz (53rd) and ex-Leipzig player Dominik Szoboszlai (90th+4) scored the goals for Klopp’s team.
Round of 16 arrow right
The hosts scored again with an own goal from Conor Bradley (46th). This puts Liverpool in an optimal starting position for the second leg next Thursday at Anfield Road.
And there was something else that might have made coach Klopp happy: After the break, top striker Mo Salah, who had been injured for a long time, made his comeback.
Roma shows Brighton the limits
AS Roma are currently on course for their third European Cup final in a row. Paulo Dybala (12th), Romelu Lukaku (43rd), Gianluca Mancini (64th) and Bryan Cristante (68th) scored in the 4-0 (2-0) win against Brighton and Hove Albion.
National player Pascal Groß was in the starting line-up for the guests.
Marseille under Gasset – they won’t do it under three goals
Olympique Marseille can also dream of reaching the quarter-finals. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored two goals (42nd, 59th) in the 4-0 (3-0) win against Villarreal FC, and Jordan Veretout also scored (23rd). Villarreal’s Yerson Mosquera scored an own goal (28th).
Marseille have now scored at least three goals in their fourth game under new coach Jean-Louis Gasset.
Milan scores four times against Slavia Prague
AC Milan also scored four times. Olivier Giroud (34th), Tijjani Reijnders (44th), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (45th+1) and Christian Pulisic (85th) scored for Milan in the home game against Slavia Prague. The game ended 4:2 (3:1) because David Doudera (36th) and Ivan Schranz (65th) shortened the score for the Czechs.
2:2 after 0:2 – Benfica shows comeback qualities
Coach Roger Schmidt and Benfica Lisbon won 2-2 (1-2) against Glasgow Rangers after being behind twice, but remained without a win for the third time in a row. The Portuguese had previously lost the cup semi-final against Sporting Lisbon (1:2) and the top league game at FC Porto (0:5).
Tom Lawrence (7th) and Dujon Sterling (45th + 5) gave the Rangers the lead twice. For Benfica, Angel di Maria equalized with a penalty (45+2), before an own goal in the second half ensured the final score. Rangers defender Connor Goldson scored into his own goal (67th).
