Europa League

FUMING fans have accused the Europa League draw of being “rigged” as they predicted Liverpool and Bayern Leverkusen will cruise into the final. While the draw was bad news for West Ham who drew high-flying Leverkusen, Liverpool have a slightly easier tie against Atalanta in the quarter-finals.Fans called the Europa League draw ‘rigged’ as they predict Liverpool will cruise into the finalCredit: AlamyThe Hammers are on a quest for a second consecutive European success.But David Moye’s squad will face Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side who are on a 37-game unbeaten run.While for Klopp, he will be hoping for a send-off to remember if his side can continue their journey by getting past Italian side Atalanta.Should Liverpool win they will face either Benfica or Marseille and if Leverkusen or West Ham win they will face AC Mian or Roma in the semi-final.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWith both Liverpool and Leverkusen in terrific form this term fans are convinced the teams will end up facing each other in the final.Some even went as far as to say the whole draw was “rigged” to make sure Klopp got his Liverpool farewell in a European final.And if it comes against Leverkusen, in Alonso he would come up against the man many believe will replace him at Anfield.One fan on X said: “So the Europa League is fixed for a Liverpool vs Leverkusen final then.”Most read in Europa LeagueBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERAnother supporter who agreed added: “They rigged the Europa draw for Klopp farewell😭😭😭.”While a West Ham fan did not seem too happy about the draw: “I knew we’d get them or Liverpool fixed these draws lpool had easy group easy round of 16 and got easiest team left in the quarters.”Europa League quarter-final draw in full as Liverpool and West Ham learn their fate There is no evidence and no suggestion the draw was fixed.Leverkusen boss Alonso does not think the journey will be so swift as they scraped wins with stunning injury-time strikes in both legs against Qarabag.Alonso said: “Every team would have been tough.”We know West Ham were successful in the Conference League last season.”They have top players and we are excited for the Quarter Finals against a good team.”The first legs of the quarter-final ties will take place on April 11 before the return fixtures are completed the following week on April 18.Following those intense ties the semi-finals will take place on May 2 and May 9 with an all-English final on the cards. More

LIVERPOOL and West Ham have learned their fate for the Europa League quarter-finals.The English duo both cruised past their last 16 opponents to secure their spot in the last eight of the tournament.West Ham have discovered their opponents for the quarter-finalCredit: GettyLiverpool also know who they will face for a place in the semi-finalsCredit: GettyDavid Moyes’ Hammers will continue their quest for a second consecutive European success against Bayer Leverkusen.But it will be a tough task against the Germans who are on a 37-game unbeaten run with Xabi Alonso at the helm.While Jurgen Klopp will be hoping for a send off to remember if his side can continue their journey by getting past Atalanta.Elsewhere AC Milan will face fellow Italians AS Roma while Benfica will take on Marseille in the final clash.Both West Ham and Liverpool will take confidence from the ease at which they progressed from the last 16.West Ham hammered Freiburg 5-0 on Thursday night to earn a 5-1 aggregate win over the German club.And The Reds blew away Sparta Prague with a sensational 11-2 aggregate win that showed why they are favourites to lift the trophy in Dublin come May.The first legs of the quarter-final ties will take place on April 11 before the return fixtures are completed the following week on April 18.Most read in FootballCHELTENHAM BETTING OFFERS – BEST FREE BET DEALS FOR THE FESTIVALFollowing those intense ties the semi-finals will take place on May 2 and May 9 with an all-English final on the cards.If West Ham are to win their clash they will take on the victor of AC Milan vs Roma.Firefighters forced to intervene as Europa League Conference match delayed after fans throw fireworks on to pitchAnd should Liverpool reach the next round they will face the winner of Benfica vs Marseille.The draw for the Champions League was also made today with both Manchester City and Arsenal handed tough ties.The Gunners will return to face old foe Bayern Munich in a clash that will see a return to north London for Harry Kane.While Man City have been dished the challenge of taking on 14-time winners Real Madrid. More

BRIGHTON may have been defeated in the Europa League – but they won the battle of the banners. Danny Welbeck’s 37th minute rocket wasn’t enough to save the club’s debut campaign in Europe after they were left with a 4-0 mountain to climb following a hellish first-leg in Rome.Danny Welbeck’s first-half goal proved not to be enoughCredit: GettyThey attempted to rally an unlikely comebackCredit: PABut they got the last laugh after unfurling a banner which read “Totti loves pineapple on pizza” after Roma fans’ x-rated sign aimed at the late Queen last week.The Seagulls, who were in the third-tier as recently as 2011, can be proud of their glittering run which has seen wins in Ajax and Athens as well as beating Marseille at home to top their group. After a quiet start, the first-half got heated at the Amex.  Brighton were very lucky when a jaw-dropping overhead kick from Sardar Azmoun was ruled out for a high foot on Jan-Paul van Hecke on the half-hour mark.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe Roma bench went berserk when the goal was not given and Daniele De Rossi was booked for giving an earful to the fourth official. Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi followed suit and was shown a yellow as tempers flared on the benches following argy bargy on the pitch in the build up to a Pascal Gross free-kick.  The Seagulls needed a lift and it arrived in spectacular fashion when Pervis Estupinan supplied a peach of a pass to Welbeck who curled a beauty into the top corner that goalkeeper Mile Svilar could not reach. Brighton lived to rue their missed chances in the gameCredit: PACredit: The SunCHELTENHAM BETTING OFFERS – BEST FREE BET DEALS FOR THE FESTIVALThere was a brief VAR check to see if Leonardo Spinazzola should be sent off for a foul on Tariq Lamptey but the decision was no. Most read in Europa LeagueIn the aftermath Estupinan was pushed to the floor by Azmoun and they were both booked for their roles in the resulting melee.EXCL: My uncle played in the World Cup final, now I’m making my own way starring for Premier League clubCredit: The SunAfter the break Simon Adingra would have doubled the lead with a bullet header had it not been for a superb save by Svilar. Van Hecke then also came close with back to back headers as the clock was ticking – but it just wasn’t meant to be. More

MO SALAH became the first ever Liverpool player to strike 20 times or more in SEVEN successive seasons.Yet if he was able to play against teams as bad as Sparta each week, the Egyptian would be finishing every campaign with 80 goals.Bobby Clark starred as Liverpool thrashed Sparta Prague in the Europa LeagueCredit: AFPMohamed Salah became the first Reds player to score 20 goals or more in seven successive seasonsCredit: ReutersLiverpool were rampant but the Czech champions utterly hopeless as Jurgen Klopp’s quadruple-chasers strolled to a ludicrously easy win.Salah was joined in this latest Reds goalfest by Darwin Nunez, Bobby Clark, Cody Gakpo (two) and Dominik Szoboszlai and had they really wanted to, Liverpool would have reached double figures.It is difficult to remember a team as poor as Sparta in the knockout stages of any European tournament and Liverpool know that today’s quarter-final draw will produce far tougher opponents.Klopp, who is now preparing for Manchester United on Sunday in the FA Cup, had the luxury of taking off Nunez, Joe Gomez and Wataru Endo at half-time.READ MORE LIVERPOOL NEWSBut the Liverpool manager still ended up getting a yellow card as he complained over sub Jarell Quansah getting a slightly harsh booking.Incredibly, Liverpool scored three goals in the space of three goals and 12 minutes and were 4-0 up after 14 minutesUnmarked Nunez stroked Szobozlai’s pass into the corner in the seventh minute for his 17th of the season.Just 68 seconds later, on his full European debut, Bobby Clark grabbed a second following a suicidal pass across the face of the goal by Sparta skipper Ladislav Krejci.Most read in FootballCHELTENHAM BETTING OFFERS – BEST FREE BET DEALS FOR THE FESTIVALSalah took his place in the Liverpool history books with a low shot from inside the area after the bustling Clark nicked the ball off Jaroslav Zeleny.Gakpo ensured that the front three all got their names on the scoresheet when he made it 4-0 with a first-time finish after being picked out by Salah.Roy Keane goes against the grain with his verdict on Liverpool’s last-second penalty appeal vs Man City-Despite their team playing abysmally, the Czech fans made plenty of noise and at least they had something to shout about when Serb forward Veljko Birmancevic squeezed a shot past Caoimhin Kelleher.The second half was less than three minutes old when Szoboszlai’s shot, which seemed to be going wide, was deflected into the net by Krejci.Gakpo delivered a clever flick to divert Harvey Elliott’s shot past beleaguered keeper Peter Vindahkl who will have nightmares over these two games against Liverpool.Klopp gave a debut to Polish 20-year-old attacking midfielder Mateusz Musialowski and the only surprise was that skipper Virgil van Dijk was risked as a 66th minute sub.Clark scored his first senior goal in the Anfield routCredit: Reuters More