Summary: Liverpool - Atalanta 3:0/Sport1
The quarter-final stage of the Europa League will end tonight (Thursday) with the four return matches. Atalanta hopes that its big 0:3 advantage from the first game against Liverpool will be enough, Leverkusen is trying to take another step towards the treble and the Italian derby between Rome and Milan may become particularly dramatic. Benfica hosts Marseille with a fragile advantage.
Semi-finals (May 2 and 9):
Benfica / Marseille - Liverpool / Atalanta
Milan / Roma - Leverkusen / West Ham
The Europa League final will be held on May 22 in Dublin.
Atalanta - Liverpool 1:0 (2nd half)
Beaten and sore after a disappointing week, Liverpool dreams of a big comeback in Bergamo, after all, they already beat Atalanta 0:5 away in the Champions League in 2020, but this time they will meet a ready and determined opponent. "This is probably the most important game in the history of Atalanta," said coach Gian Piero Gasperini. The veteran Italian was recently mentioned as a candidate for Liverpool and added today: "Of course such talks make me happy, but they don't take me out of focus." Diogo Jota, who scored a hat trick in 0:5 four years ago, is waiting on the bench for Jurgen Klopp, who gave the place in the 11 to Trent Alexander-Arnold for the first time since he returned from the injury that disabled him for almost two months. Dominic Soboslai also returned to the lineup and Cody Gakpo was preferred over Darwin Nunes. Gianluca Scamacca, who starred with a pair at Anfield, this time received Russian Alexey Miranchuk, who was preferred over Charles de Catellara, to his side in the attack of the hosts.
7th minute: Goal! Alexander-Arnold's cross from the right hit Rogery's hand and gave him a penalty, which Salah kicked in. 0:1 to Liverpool.
West Ham - Bayer Leverkusen 0:1 (2nd half)
The Germans have finished celebrating the historic championship and now want to take another step on the way to a great treble and the first European title since the UEFA Cup in 1988. Xavi Alonso's team is still undefeated this season and they landed in London after 8 consecutive victories in all competitions. If they keep With a clean record, she will advance to the semi-finals, of course. West Ham has already made a comeback against another German opponent in the round of 16: after losing 1:0 away, she won 0:5 at home. The best news for David Moyes is that 'Rod Bowen is fit and included in the squad, after being absent from the game in Leverkusen and from the loss to Fulham, Patrick Schick in the attack of the German champions.
Goal! 0:1 to West Ham.
Roma - Milan 0:2 (2nd half)
After the victory in San Siro, the Giallorossi hope to complete the job in the Italian derby at the Olimpico. Milan have not lost to Roma away in the last four games, but this time they must win and preferably by more than one goal to avoid extra time. "These are the best games there are," said Roma captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, "you play in front of 70,000 people who love you and it makes you give even more of yourself." Daniele De Rossi, who lost only two of his 16 games as Roma coach (10 wins and four draws) made one change to the lineup: Eduardo Bova replaced the yellowing Brian Cristante. The one who is obviously absent from the squad is Evan Andica, after the stressful breakdown that caused the cancellation of the league game against Udinese. On the other hand, Milan with two changes from last week: Pikayo Tomori in the center of defense instead of Malik Chow and Yunus Moussa in midfield instead of Tijani Reynders.
12th minute: Goal! And again this is Mancini. The stopper came up to help the attack, stayed in the area and Pellegrini's spinning ball that hit the crossbar came straight to him for him to kick in. 0:1 to Rome.
22nd minute: Goal! Lukaku shook off Gabia who then added another mistake with a clearance straight at Dybala, who skilfully curled into the net from 14 yards. 0:2 to Rome.
Marseille - Benfica 0:0 (2nd half)
Marseille is in the midst of a crisis, with five consecutive losses in all competitions and a 12:3 goal difference. Benfica left the premiership in Portugal to their city rival Sporting (who ran away from them in the league and kicked them out of the cup) and the Europa League is probably their only chance for the title this season - except for the Portuguese Super Cup in August. The local coach Jean-Louis Gasse hopes that the crowd will give the push for a change: "The fans here make you surpass yourself, they make you fly." Gase also lost Kantan Marlan in the match in Lisbon and continued with three stops in light of the many disadvantages, as he hopes for more production from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the king of the factory goals with 10 conquests so far. Benfica kept the lineup from last week.