Four days after Florian Wirtz’ bitter end of the season, the Europa League issue was resolved prematurely for Bayer Leverkusen. Coach Gerardo Seoane’s team lost 0-1 (0-0) in the round of 16 second leg against Atalanta Bergamo on Thursday. Without young star Wirtz, who will be out for months after a cruciate ligament rupture, the third-placed Bundesliga player lacked the offensive power to turn the first leg 2-3 in front of 19,871 spectators. Substitute Jérémie Boga (90+1) scored in added time for Bergamo. For the Bayer team, which was also under pressure in the league, it was the fourth winless competitive game in a row. The ambitious Rhinelanders also failed prematurely in the DFB Cup.
Bayer initially started the race to catch up offensively. Seoane reacted to the serious injuries suffered by Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong (Syndesmoseriss) with five changes compared to the 0-1 draw against 1. FC Köln. Only Moussa Diaby remained in the starting XI in attack – and the 22-year-old was the most conspicuous player at the start. In the eighth minute, the Frenchman failed with a shot that was too unplaced by Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso (8th).
The guests, who had to do without the injured Rafael Tolói after just over ten minutes, were waiting for a counterattack. After half an hour, the Serie A table sixth even had the Leverkusen game under control at times. Ruslan Malinovskyi tested Bayer goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky with a weak shot (32′), Luis Muriel was closer to taking the lead (35′). The Leverkusen defense had to watch out for the two goal scorers in the first leg.
Bayer lacked the pace in the opposing half in this phase – and probably also the wit of Wirtz, who followed the game in the stadium. The Bayer pros warmed up in shirts with the numbers of the two injured players on them. In the game, the representatives around Amine Adli and Mitchel Bakker found it difficult to create further chances. Right at the beginning of the second half, Diaby failed again because of Musso, who made a strong save with his foot (48′). Leverkusen came out better from the dressing room, but the pressure phase didn’t last too long. Seoane reacted in the 61st minute and made three substitutions. The game became a game of nerves. In the final phase, Bayer tried to attack the strong Bergamo defense. Boga dashed all hopes.
Eintracht Frankfurt handed a 1-1 draw against Real Betis Sevilla
Martin Hinteregger, on the other hand, gave his club Eintracht Frankfurt the long-awaited continuation of the European trip with a last-minute goal. With his headed goal in extra time, the defender secured a hard-fought 1-1 (0-1, 0-0) in the second leg of the Europa League against Real Betis Sevilla for the Bundesliga club on Thursday and, like in 2019, that of 25,000 Spectators acclaimed entry into the quarterfinals.
Borja Iglesias (90th) gave the Spaniards the lead and equalized Frankfurt’s 2-1 win from the first leg last week. The draw for the quarter-finals, in which another German team is represented with RB Leipzig, will take place in Nyon on Friday afternoon.
“The last-minute Eintracht was back today,” said Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner on RTL. “It was an unbelievable game. Great success,” said the Austrian, who praised his compatriot and headed goal scorer Hinteregger and crosser Filip Kostic: “How Filip brings the ball, how Martin throws in there – that distinguished us again today.”
Eintracht coach Glasner trusted the same starting eleven for the fourth time in a row and thus the eleven players who also started in the 2-1 win in the first leg. Guest coach Manuel Pellegrini, on the other hand, sent four new players onto the pitch, including 40-year-old Joaquin and Rui Silva in goal instead of Claudio Bravo.
The changes initially had an effect, because the guests determined the initial phase and put a lot of pressure on Frankfurt. The hosts needed almost a quarter of an hour before they had their first chance – but it was tough right away. Brilliantly staged by Djibril Sow, Ansgar Knauff appeared free in front of goal, but only hit the crossbar.
Suddenly Eintracht was in the game and increasingly shifted the action to the opposing half. But the Hessians lacked precision in front of the Andalusians. Again and again the last pass failed, so that further opportunities were missed. After all, the hosts did not let the fifth in the Spanish La Liga table come to dangerous goals. As a result, it went goalless at the break.
As in the first half, Sevilla started energetically after the change, but without initially being able to create a clear chance. Eintracht goalkeeper Kevin Trapp only had to grab a long-range shot from France’s world champion Nabil Fekir.
But Frankfurt also continued to struggle on the offensive. Unlike in the first leg, the Betis defense was hardly ever embarrassed. Even with standard situations, the Glasner team developed no danger – until the 63rd minute, when a free kick from Filip Kostic landed on the crossbar. Almost in return, Trapp saved Eintracht from falling behind when Juanmi headed the ball with a brilliant save.
Eintracht allowed themselves a moment of carelessness in the final stages, which substitute striker Iglesias took advantage of to make it 1-0 to Sevilla just before the end of regular time. In extra time, Iglesias hit the crossbar again before Hinteregger Frankfurt secured progress.