It’s official, France will remain 5th in the UEFA index (and that changes a lot of things)
The defeat of AZ Alkmaar on the lawn of West Ham this Thursday evening in the semi-final first leg of the Europa League Conference (2-1) is excellent news for France, guaranteed to remain 5th in the UEFA index ahead of the Countries -Down at the end of the season.
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If all eyes are on this classification, it is because it will be decisive for the new formula of the Champions League. In 2024-2025, four places (three direct and one in the preliminary round) will be reserved for the fifth European coefficient, while the sixth will only have three, including two direct.
Before the start of these first leg semi-finals, the deal was simple: AZ Alkmaar had to win their last three games (excluding penalties) to put the Netherlands ahead of France. This contract is therefore not fulfilled with this defeat on the lawn of West Ham. With 61,164 points, a total that will not change, France is 5th, 1,264 points ahead of the Netherlands (59,900 points). With a maximum of 1 point to glean for Alkmaar in the event of victory in this C4 (2 points per victory excluding shots on goal + 1 for qualification in the final, all divided by 5), France is out of reach.
It’s over on the three lawns!
This is the end of this multiplex of semi-finals of the Europa League and Conference Europa League. Here are the results with a surprise in Florence and good news for the French clubs:
Roma-Bayer Leverkusen: 1-0
Fiorentina-Basel: 1-2
West Ham-AZ Alkmaar: 2-1
Basel goes ahead!
What a feeling in Florence! Amdouni ended up probably giving success to FC Basel on the lawn of Fiorentina on a recovery at close range.
Cristante saves Roma!
Cristante puts on his hero’s cape and saves his team when Rui Patricio got on badly with Ibanez. Frimpong shoots into the empty nets but the Roma defender saves the Romans.
Mourinho is on the pitch
Incredible scene in Rome where José Mourinho gives instructions to his team with both feet on the lawn. The Portuguese coach is keen on this short success.
Dybala and Wijnaldum return
José Mourinho brings in the heavy with Paulo Dybala and Georginio Wijnaldum for the last quarter of an hour of the match against Bayer Leverkusen.
Kehrer takes his chance
Tilo Kehrer takes advantage of the momentum of his team to attempt a strike but he has less success than Michail Antonio.
Antonio capsizes the London Stadium!
What a scenario at West Ham’s London Stadium. Michail Antonio gives the Hammers the lead as AZ Alkmaar led less than 10 minutes ago.
Adli enters
Xabi Alonso launches a young Frenchman for Bayer Leverkusen on the lawn of Roma with the entry of Amine Adli.
FC Basel equalize!
French midfielder Andy Diouf scores an incredible solo goal and brings the Swiss up to Fiorentina! Yet the Florentines pushed to make the break.
Said Benrahma does not tremble
The Algerian international takes the penalty perfectly and deceives the AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper with a powerful strike. West Ham equalize.
Bowen gets a penalty!
The AZ Alkmaar goalkeeper is at fault on his outing on Bowen and concedes a penalty! West Ham can finally come back against the Dutch.
Bove releases Roma
The release at the Stadio Olimpico! Tammy Abraham sees his strike blocked by Hradecky but young midfielder Edoardo Bove follows and gives his team the advantage against Bayer Leverkusen.
Diaby center flees Hlozek
Moussa Diaby overflows on the left side and crosses towards his attacking teammate Adam Hlozek who cannot grab the ball.
Calafiori suffers from cramps
This Fiorentina-Basel seems to leave traces. Calafiori complains of cramps after a duel with Dodô.
Paqueta takes a yellow
The evening in London takes a bad turn for West Ham. Lucas Paqueta picks up a yellow card and nothing seems to be going the way of the English tonight.
Ikoné tries
The former Lille player tries to save Fiorentina against Basel but his shot goes over the cages of the Swiss team’s goalkeeper.
The beautiful sequence of Mandragora
Biraghi still makes a good cross in this meeting for Fiorentina. Mandragora manages to control in the area and continues with a shot off frame.
Tapsoba’s Rescue
On the free kick that follows for Roma, Tapsoba removes the ball that was promised to Ibanez. Lorenzo Pellegrini had offered a sublime ball.
Andrich is warned
The Bavarian midfielder is guilty of a foul on Tammy Abraham near the surface and receives a yellow card.
The Hammers get a corner
Perhaps finally a small reaction for the Londoners who are led by AZ Alkmaar. West Ham gets a good corner but it’s pushed back by the Dutch goalkeeper.
Here we go again !
Return of the teams on the three lawns of the evening! Here are the results at the break before the second half of these first leg semi-finals:
Roma-Bayer Leverkusen: 0-0
Fiorentina-Basel: 1-0
West Ham-AZ Alkmaar: 0-1
It’s the break on the 3 lawns!
Halftime was whistled on the three lawns of this multiplex. Here are the results at the break with a big surprise in England:
Roma-Bayer Leverkusen: 0-0
Fiorentina-Basel: 1-0
West Ham-AZ Alkmaar: 0-1
Amdouni’s strike flies away
The FC Basel striker tries to respond to Cabral but his ball flies high above the cages of the Florentine goalkeeper.
AZ Alkmaar surprises West Ham … on an Areola blunder
Oh the feeling in London! West Ham are surprised by AZ Alkmaar on their lawn on a magnificent goal from Reijnders who hit hard at the near post. Areola is guilty of a hand fault on this action. Bad news for French football.
The center of Pavlidis does not find takers
The AZ Alkmaar centre-forward cannot find a partner in the West Ham box after his tight cross at the near post.
A blow for Leverkusen
Bayer Leverkusen could lose an important part of their defense as Kossonou looks down against Roma. Former Parisian Mitchell Bakker could return.
Aguerd ignites
The former defender of Rennes extricates himself from his opponents after a tough battle and takes his chance from outside the area but his shot flies away.
Cabral punishes his former club!
Cabral is the first scorer of this multiplex! The Fiorentina centre-forward punishes his former club with a whim in the Basel penalty area. He extends Martinez’s first header.
Lang was not far from resuming
Great opportunity for Basel on the lawn of Fiorentina on this whim from Burger not far from being taken over by his defense teammate Lang.
What a save from the Leverkusen goalkeeper
Hradecky makes an exceptional save on this powerful head kick from Ibanez. Roma finally reacts after a difficult first quarter of an hour.
Areola on the trajectory
Alphonse Areola made his first save in the Conference Europa League semi-final first leg against AZ Alkmaar with Van Brederode’s curling shot.
Classie tries her luck
Here is the response of AZ Alkmaar on the lawn of West Ham with the long shot of the Dutch captain Classie. The frame is largely missing.
Antonio tries an outside of the foot
Michail Antonio enters the box for AZ Alkmaar but the West Ham striker then misses his pass with the outside of his foot to Bowen.
Goal disallowed for Augustin!
FC Basel scares Fiorentina on this deep ball towards Amdouni who then shifts Jean-Kévin Augustin. The former Parisian concludes but François Letexier whistles for an offside position.
Wirtz had done it all
What an individual breakthrough for Florian Wirtz who ends up taking his chance with a flat foot that is too crossed. Roma are suffering at the start of the game and have already conceded two big chances.
Bonaventura attempts a recovery
Another center for Fiorentina where Bonaventura takes the best but its recovery is largely out of frame.
Cabral does not fit
On a good cross from the left, Cabral extended with a header but missed the target for Fiorentina against FC Basel.
Already an action in Rome!
What a first big opportunity for the Germans on the lawn of AS Roma! Andric is alone at the penalty spot after a superbly constructed action. The middle of Bayer crushes his strike a little too much.
Here we go !
The kick-off of the three first leg semi-finals of the Europa League and Conference Europa League has been given! To follow live commented Roma-Bayer Leverkusen, Fiorentina-Basel and West Ham-AZ Alkmaar.
The start of the matches in 15 minutes
The kick-off for Roma-Bayer Leverkusen (Europa League), Fiorentina-Basel (Conference Europa League) and West Ham-AZ Alkmaar (Conference Europa League) will be given at 9 p.m., in 15 minutes.
AZ Alkmaar struggling in England
The Dutch have lost their last six trips across the North Sea with at least four goals conceded in the last three trips to England.
Leverkusen chasing first European final since 2002
The German club, which travels to Roma on Thursday, is aiming for a first European final in more than 20 years. A feat that will try to get Xabi Alonso, coach of the German club, who is approached in England on the side of Tottenham.
The incredible images taken from inside the Roma bus
The Romans witnessed scenes of incredible jubilation as they arrived at the Stadio Olimpico ahead of the Europa League semi-final first leg against Bayer Leverkusen.
The line-ups of Fiorentina-Basel
And here are the compositions of the last semi-final first leg to follow in this multiplex with the meeting between Fiorentina and Basel which is the second half first leg of the Conference Europa League.
Fiorentina line-up: Terracciano – Biraghi, Ranieri, Quarta, Dodo – Amrabat, Bonaventura, Mandragora – Gonzalez Ikoné – Cabral
The composition of FC Basel: Hitz – Pelmard, Adams, Lang – Calafiori, Burger, Xhaka, Diouf, Ndoye – Augustin, Amdouni.
Line-ups of West Ham- AZ Alkmaar
The compositions of one of the two first leg semi-finals of the Conference Europa League are known. Here are the two starting XIs of West Ham and AZ Alkmaar.
West Ham line-up: Fabianski – Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell – Soucek, Rice – Bowen, Paqueta, Benrahma – Antonio.
The composition of AZ Alkmaar: Ryan – Sugawara, Beukema, Chatzidiakos, de Wit – Clasie, Reijnders – Odgaard, Mijnans, Myron van Brederode – Pavlidis.
The composition of Bayer
For his part, Xabi Alonso opted for a 3-4-2-1 with the presence of Frenchman Moussa Diaby. The composition of Leverkusen: Hradecky – Kossounou, Tah, Hincapie – Frimpong, Andrich, Tapsoba, Palacios – Diaby, Wirtz – Hlozek.
The composition of Roma against Leverkusen
Here is the composition concocted by José Mourinho for the first leg of the Europa League semi-final between Roma and Bayer Leverkusen: Patricio – Mancini, Cristante, Ibanez – Celik, Matic, Bove, Spinazzola – Pellegrini, Belotti – Abraham. Dybala and Wijnaldum start on the bench
Kick off at 9:00 p.m.
Hello everyone, and welcome to this live RMC Sport to follow the semi-finals of the Europa League and Europa League Conference live. In C3, AS Roma and Bayer Leverkusen compete as well as Juventus and Sevilla FC. In C4, two meetings on the program with Fiorentina-Basel and West Ham-Alkmaar. All three games will start at 9 p.m.
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