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Liverpool job frontrunners have contrasting nights Europa League

Liverpool job frontrunners have contrasting nights Europa League

Alex Caple 15 Mar 2024, 06:30 Last modified: 14 Mar 2024

The two frontrunners for the Liverpool manager job have had contrasting nights in the UEFA Europa League. Could it influence the race?

Liverpool qualified for the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday night with an emphatic win over Sparta Prague. But it wasn't the only tie that will have been of interest to the Reds.

With Jurgen Klopp stepping down at the end of the season, Liverpool are on the hunt for his replacement. The two reported frontrunners for the job (per The Athletic's extensive report) were both in action on Thursday, too, hoping to take their teams to the quarters.

Only one succeeded, however.

Xabi Alonso and Bayer Leverkusen

What an incredible night for Bayern Leverkusen. The Bundesliga leaders haven't lost all season and went into their second leg against Qarabag having narrowly avoided defeat in the first leg.

Qarabag had taken a 2-0 lead a week ago but Leverkusen pushed back, eventually scoring a stoppage-time equaliser through Patrick Schick.

Quite ridiculously, that is exactly what happened in the second leg, too. Qarabag went 2-0 up before Leverkusen mounted a comeback - Schick even got the stoppage-time equaliser.

The difference, however, is that Schick wasn't done there. He scored another goal in stoppage time to win the tie and send Leverkusen into the quarter-finals.

Xabi Alonso's side are performing miracles this season. They remain among the favourites and will be riding a high against whoever they meet in the quarters.

Ruben Amorim and Sporting

Sporting drew 1-1 at home against Atalanta last week and faced a real battle to qualify on Thursday night. Things started very well, though, as Pedro Goncalves scored the opener to put Sporting in front.

© IMAGO - Atalanta BC v Sporting CP - UEFA Europa League Ruben Amorim, head coach of Sporting Clube de Portugal, looks on prior to the UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg football match between Atalanta BC and Sporting CP. Bergamo Italy Copyright: xNicolòxCampox

However, they couldn't hold that lead. Atalanta scored twice to take a 2-1 lead and kept it through the rest of the 90. With that, Sporting crash out of the Europa League.

They're still fighting for the Portuguese title, of course, but this will be a huge blow to Amorim. Sporting were one of the favourites, instead they're out of Europe earlier than planned