Europa League

LIVE from 9 p.m.: Will Leverkusen stay on track for success?

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah lost 3-0 at home.

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Liverpool are in danger of dropping out of the Europa League on Jürgen Klopp's farewell tour. Atalanta Bergamo celebrated a 3:0 (1:0) away win at Anfield Road in the quarter-final first leg on Thursday evening after a brilliant performance. Gianluca Scamacca (38', 60') and Mario Pasalic (83') scored for the "goddess" from Lombardy.

Bayer Leverkusen created a good basis for promotion with a 2:0 (0:0) win against West Ham United in the second leg in a week's time. AS Roma secured an away win with a 1:0 (1:0) at Milan in the Serie A tie. Benfica Lisbon beat Olympique Marseille 2:1 (1:0).

Jürgen Klopp

(Bild: glomex)

Klopp spares stars
In view of the busy schedule in the Premier League and European Cup, Klopp rested his star striker Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz on the bench at the start. Caoimhin Kelleher started in goal again and was soon called upon in a furious opening phase. Kelleher turned away Pasalic's shot from close range with his cheek for a corner (4'). But Liverpool also had a great chance after a quarter of an hour: Darwin Nunez lacked efficiency in front of goal. Harvey Elliott was unlucky when his almost perfectly curled shot hit the crossbar and bar (26').

However, Bergamo proved to be the tough opponents expected and were often able to disrupt the home side's build-up play. An attack down the right gave the Lombards, who had also played well against Sturm Graz (2:2, 1:0) in the group stage, the lead. Scamacca - who was still playing for West Ham a year ago - finished off the move, but the ball did not seem unstoppable.

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Reds unlucky
In addition to Salah, Liverpool also brought on Dominik Szoboszlai and Andy Robertson after the break, with Diaz coming on for the hapless Nunez after the hour. The Reds increased the pressure, but Bergamo scored the goal. To the surprise of many, Charles de Ketelaer was not offside and Scamacca finished off his cross with a dry half-volley to make it 2-0. Liverpool were unable to mount a comeback. Salah's supposed 1-2 was rightly disallowed due to the Egyptian's close offside position (79'), before things got even worse for the English side. After another blunder, Pasalic even scored the third goal for coach Gian Piero Gasperini's side, who then fought hard to hold on to the result.

Leverkusen confident
Leverkusen had to wait a long time against West Ham, despite having the better chances, before Jonas Hofmann volleyed home in the 83rd minute to give them the lead. Victor Boniface (91) scored another "joker". Xabi Alonso's side - who could celebrate the German championship for the first time this weekend - remained unbeaten in their 42nd game of the season.

(Bild: Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Milan must tremble
Part one of the all-Italian quarter-final duel went to Roma. The "Giallorossi" won 1:0 against Milan in Milan. Gianluca Mancini, who scored the winner in the Rome derby against Lazio at the weekend, headed a corner into the net (17'). Benfica beat Olympique Marseille and gave their beleaguered coach Roger Schmidt some breathing space. Rafa Silva (16) and Angel di Maria (52) were the first to score for Portugal's record champions in Lisbon, before Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (67) kept the southern French side's chances of promotion alive with his tenth goal of the competition.

Quarter-final first legs: 

Liverpool - Atalanta Bergamo 0:3 (0:1)
Goals: Scamacca (38., 61.), Pasalic (83.) 

Bayer Leverkusen - West Ham 2:0 (0:0)
Goals: Hofmann (83.), Boniface (91.) 

AC Milan - AS Roma 0:1 (0:1)
Goal: Mancini (17') 

Benfica Lisbon - Olympique Marseille 2:1 (1:0)
Goals: Rafa Silva (16), Di Maria (52) and Aubameyang (67)