Published By: Sports Desk
Last Updated: February 24, 2024, 00:01 IST
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Liverpool will go to Sparta Prague for the primary leg of the Europa League spherical of 16. The journey might have been a lot farther than the Czech Republic.
NYON, Switzerland: Liverpool will go to Sparta Prague for the primary leg of the Europa League spherical of 16. The journey might have been a lot farther than the Czech Republic.
Qarabag was among the many potential opponents in Friday’s draw, however the Azerbaijani membership was paired with Bayer Leverkusen.
That means an extended journey to Baku for a March 7 midweek sport for the Bundesliga chief.
The journey nonetheless gained’t be thought-about perfect for Liverpool, which has an enormous English Premier League match in opposition to Manchester City on March 10.
Liverpool, Leverkusen and the opposite six groups that topped their teams will host the second-leg matches every week after their openers away from house.
“The first thing to say is that at this stage of European competition it makes sense to expect a proper test and this is what we have got,” supervisor Jurgen Klopp instructed Liverpool’s web site.
At this stage, groups from the identical nationwide affiliation can not meet.
The Europa League ultimate is on May 22 in Dublin.
ALONSO’S TRAVELS
The eight group-stage winners certified straight for the spherical of 16. The group stage runners-up performed the eight third-place groups from the Champions League group stage within the playoffs to get into the draw, held at UEFA headquarters.
Leverkusen faces Qarabag within the knockout spherical after the groups additionally met within the group stage — Leverkusen gained 5-1 at house and 1-0 in Baku. Qarabag bagged a stoppage-time purpose in further time Thursday in opposition to Braga to achieve the spherical of 16 in a European competitors for the primary time.
West Ham beat Freiburg house and away within the group stage. They will meet once more within the final 16.
Roma superior Thursday with a penalty shootout victory over Feyenoord of their playoff, and subsequent faces Brighton.
ROUND-OF-16 DRAW
The spherical-of-16 matchups (group winners listed first, enjoying away on March 7): Atalanta vs. Sporting Lisbon, Bayer Leverkusen vs. Qarabag, Brighton vs. Roma, Liverpool vs. Sparta Prague, Rangers vs. Benfica, Slavia Prague vs. AC Milan, Villarreal vs. Marseille, West Ham vs. Freiburg.
EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Ajax was drawn to play Aston Villa in Europe’s third-tier competitors. The English membership topped its group to qualify straight for the spherical of 16. Ajax superior on Thursday when Kenneth Taylor scored the winner in further time to defeat Norwegian host Bodø/Glimt 2-1 — and 4-3 on combination of their knockout playoff.
The Europa Conference League ultimate is on May 29 in Athens — with Greek golf equipment PAOK and Olympiacos nonetheless within the working.
The spherical-of-16 matchups (group winners listed first, enjoying away on March 7): Aston Villa vs. Ajax, Club Brugge vs. Molde, Fenerbahçe vs. Union Saint-Gilloise, Fiorentina vs. Maccabi Haifa, Lille vs. Sturm Graz, Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Olympiakos, PAOK vs. Dinamo Zagreb, Viktoria Plzen vs. Servette.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
(This story has not been edited by News18 workers and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
