Epic qualification of Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League: robbery and assist from Exe Palacios to save the undefeated team

A save and an assist like a world champion, in a decisive moment. Exequiel Palacios experienced an ecstasy in epic ranking of the Bayer Leverkusenwho returned in the series against Qarabag at home and with a heartbreaking 3-2, they won the ticket to the Europa League quarter-finalsalso saving the season’s unbeaten record, at all levels of competition.

The leader of the German Bundesliga and a world sensation team had a difficult time. In the first leg they had already overturned a 0-2 deficit to draw against Azerbaijan when it seemed they were about to give up their unbeaten record and this Thursday they repeated the feat thanks to an enviable reaction, encouraged by their fans from the stands.

Until the 71st minute, Qarabag had a two-goal lead, which they were left with one less due to Elvin Jafarguliyev’s dismissal, and began to suffer a demise they could not avoid.

The discount of Jeremy Frimpong (72) and the double of Patrick Schick in extra time (90+3 and 90+7) allowed the team led by Spaniard Xabi Alonso to extend their season unbeaten record to 37, a world record. In the last moment, Palacios drops to the ground to recover the ball as if he were a surgeon and then launches a precise cross to the far post..

“It wasn’t our best performance today, but we won with heart and passion, in football anything can happen,” said Alonso.

The rest of the crossbars, without surprises and with Di María on fire

He Benfica from Portugal qualified for the Europa League quarter-finals after winning 1-0 this Thursday against Glasgow Rangers in Scotland, in a meeting which clarified that, Despite his 36 years, the Argentine Ángel Di María is still a star.

If in the first half ‘Fideo’ inspired fear in the stands every time he touched the ball, in the second half, with spaces ahead, he demonstrated He still has enough legs and lungs to be a constant nightmare on the counterattack..

The formula that Benfica relied on to defeat a Glasgow Rangers team that, despite their efforts, failed to translate the greater push shown in the first half into clear scoring opportunities.

The fact Liverpool, with Alexis Mac Allister on the bench with rest, it was much easier. After the 5-1 first leg, the English ended the series with Sparta Prague with another victory, this time at Anfield. It was 6-1 to the Reds, with Uruguayan Darwin Núñez opening the scoring.

Without representatives in the Champions League quarter-finals, Italian football will have three in the Europa League: Rome -with Leandro Paredes AND Paolo Dybala on the bench without action) fell 1-0 to Brighton – with Facundo Buonanotte coming off the bench and Valentín Barco not called up – but made the 4-0 first leg count count; He Atalanta -with Juan Musso in goal- beat Sporting Portugal 2-1 (3-2 on aggregate) and the Milan won 3-1 at Slavia Prague (7-3).

Meanwhile, the Villarreal comes close to making a comeback by beating 3-1 Marseilleat their own stadium, but were eliminated in the round of 16 after losing 4-0 in France in the first leg.

For the Spanish team the French Etienne Capoue (32), the Norwegian Alexander Sorloth (57) and the Colombian Yerson Mosquera (86) scored.

Marseille, who narrowed the gap to Jonathan Clauss late on (90+4), will discover their quarter-final opponent on Friday in the draw to be held at the UEFA headquarters in Nyon (Switzerland).