{"id":1056439,"date":"2022-04-14T16:43:46","date_gmt":"2022-04-14T16:43:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/04\/14\/all-to-play-for-in-europa-league-quarterfinals\/"},"modified":"2022-04-14T16:43:46","modified_gmt":"2022-04-14T16:43:46","slug":"all-to-play-for-in-europa-league-quarterfinals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2022\/04\/14\/all-to-play-for-in-europa-league-quarterfinals\/","title":{"rendered":"All to play for in Europa League quarterfinals"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Barcelona
Barcelona players celebrate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

Three of the ties are still level and the other one is far from over; can the likes of Barcelona, Rangers and West Ham reach the Uefa Europa League semifinals?<\/p>\n

The ties between Barcelona and Frankfurt, Lyon and West Ham, and Atalanta and Leipzig are still level ahead of the Uefa Europa League quarterfinal second legs, while the lead Braga are taking to Rangers is a fragile one.<\/p>\n

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  • BARCELONA UP FOR FRANKFURT TUSSLE<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Transformed since the arrival of Xavi Hern\u00e1ndez, Barcelona may have just a slim chance of denying Real Madrid the Spanish title, but a first-ever Uefa Europa League\/Uefa Cup title remains within their grasp. They did not get an easy ride in the first leg against Frankfurt, but the Bundesliga side will expect no mercy at Camp Nou. As Barca\u2019s German goalkeeper Marc-Andr\u00e9 ter Stegen put it, \u201cFor the return leg, we know exactly what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

    Oliver Glasner\u2019s team are no pushovers, though; they are unbeaten away from home in Europe this season (W3 D1), scoring at least once in each of those games. They managed to hold Barcelona despite playing the last 12 minutes of the first leg with 10 men following Tuta\u2019s dismissal and have no need to be cowed as they head for Spain. \u201cEveryone could see we can compete with them,\u201d said first-leg goalscorer Ansgar Knauff.<\/p>\n

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    A 1-1 draw in London looks like a good result on paper, but Lyon returned to France with some regrets, having failed to establish a lead despite being up against 10 men for the whole of the second half. \u201cIf you play against 10, normally you should win,\u201d conceded coach Peter Bosz, but \u2013 well off the pace in Ligue 1 \u2013 Lyon will throw everything at West Ham in the return encounter.<\/p>\n

    Left-back Aaron Cresswell\u2019s dismissal robs the Hammers of a key man for the decider, but while they showed admirable spirit in adversity, manager David Moyes was unimpressed by his side when they had 11 men. Goalscorer Jarrod Bowen expects a more fluent performance in France, saying: \u201cWe weren\u2019t at our best but created chances. We will step up another level and we will be dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    • RANGERS AIM TO OVERTURN BRAGA DEFICIT<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \u201cIt\u2019s a one-goal difference,\u201d shrugged Giovanni van Bronckhorst after his team\u2019s narrow defeat in Portugal. \u201c[In the second leg, we are] at home, with the ground behind us. We have to win by a margin of two to go to the semifinals; we know what the task is ahead of us.\u201d It looks simple on paper, but with striker Alfredo Morelos out for the rest of the season, the Light Blues need to find a cutting edge.<\/p>\n

      Carlos Carvalhal\u2019s youthful Braga side were inches away from coming to Scotland with a 2-0 lead, Ricardo Horta having hit the post. They do not scare easily, and will be mindful that Rangers are still shaky following a 2-1 home loss to Glasgow rivals Celtic at the start of the month. The last time the Arsenalistas came to Ibrox, they went 2-0 up only to lose 3-2, and they may be inclined to go for broke again this time. Goalscorer Abel Ruiz said: \u201c1-0 is not a great advantage, but we will go there to win.\u201d<\/p>\n

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      • ATALANTA AND LEIPZIG AWAIT MORE MAYHEM<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The first leg between Atalanta and Leipzig was deranged; both sides hit the woodwork twice, Leipzig had a penalty saved, and while it ended 1-1, it could easily have been 3-3, 4-4 or 5-5. \u201cWe had more chances and we\u2019re disappointed because we had the feeling we could win it,\u201d said rueful Atalanta boss Gian Piero Gasperini. \u201cIt starts again from 1-1.\u201d<\/p>\n

        Atalanta succeeded in cutting Leipzig\u2019s supply lines for much of the encounter, and will look to seize control of the game in the second leg, though their guests may have similar ideas. \u201cWe cannot just play on the counterattack,\u201d said Italian-born boss Domenico Tedesco. Forward Emil Forsberg added: \u201cIt\u2019s all to play for in Bergamo and we feel like we have the quality to get the result we need.\u201d<\/p>\n

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