Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham need results to progress in Europa League
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Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso has seen his team go 36 matches unbeaten all season.
PHOTO: AFP
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PARIS – Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham United head into the Europa League on March 14 needing positive results to reach the quarter-finals after failing to win their last-16, first-leg ties.
A stoppage-time Patrik Schick equaliser spared Leverkusen’s blushes last week in Baku, and also maintained their unbeaten record this season, after Qarabag took a shock 2-0 lead against the runaway German Bundesliga leaders.
Despite the surprise 2-2 draw, Leverkusen showed no sign of slowing down in their pursuit of silverware at the weekend as they immediately bounced back with a 2-0 home win against Wolfsburg in the league.
The form team in Europe now boast a record of 31 wins and five draws across all competitions this season, making them the first Bundesliga side to go without defeat in 36 consecutive matches.
Coach Xabi Alonso and his charges will not want this momentum to stop abruptly against the Azerbaijani champions.
However, after going toe-to-toe with the Germans for 91 minutes last week, Qarabag will arrive at the BayArena believing that anything is possible.
Alonso admitted the Baku club have “quality players who are capable of playing in the top leagues” and they will be keen to continue to showcase their talents on the European stage.
Qarabag coach Gurban Gurbanov, meanwhile, is confident his team can step up and perform at an even higher level than in the first leg, saying: “I’ll prepare the team to play even better in Germany.”
Leverkusen’s fellow tournament favourites Liverpool will likely have an easier ride at Anfield after dispatching opponents Sparta Prague 5-1 last week.
With the tie all but sewn up, it is likely manager Jurgen Klopp will give more playing time to the squad’s youngsters.
There was other good news for the Reds, as it was confirmed on March 12 that Michael Edwards has rejoined the club as chief executive of football to lead the transition once the German steps down at the end of the season.
Edwards spent over a decade at Anfield as performance director and sporting director before leaving in 2022.
On the south coast of England, Brighton & Hove Albion have it all to do against Daniele de Rossi’s in-form AS Roma following a 4-0 defeat in the Italian capital last week.
German side Freiburg take a 1-0 lead to West Ham but will need to defy the Hammers’ impressive home record in Europe to progress to the quarter-finals.
Europa Conference League holders West Ham have won their last 10 European games at the London Stadium and manager David Moyes is counting on their home form to overturn the deficit. “We’ll do everything to try and turn it around. We’ll have our crowd and atmosphere behind us,” he said. AFP
