UEFA Europa League:
Barcelona were drawn to play Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals of this season’s Europa League on Friday, while West Ham United will take on Lyon. Appearing in Europe’s second-tier club competition for the first time since 2004 following their exit from the Champions League in the group stage, Barcelona qualified for the quarter-finals by beating Galatasaray of Turkey 2-1 on aggregate.
Eintracht beat Real Betis in extra time on Thursday to go through and will be at home in the first leg on April 7.
West Ham beat record six-time winners Sevilla, hosts of this season’s final, in the last 16 and will be at home to Lyon before going to France for the return. In the other ties, Rangers play Portuguese club Braga and RB Leipzig will face Atalanta.
The first semi-final will be between RB LEIPZIG/ATALANTA VS BRAGA/RANGERS.
The second semi-final will be between WEST HAM/LYON VS EINTRACHT FRANKFURT/BARCELONA.
Eintracht booked their last-eight place by getting the better of another Spanish side, Real Betis, on Thursday. It took an own goal in the 120th minute from Guido Rodriguez to secure a 1-1 draw on the night and a 3-2 aggregate success for Eintracht, who won the UEFA Cup in 1980 but cannot match Barcelona’s European heritage.
Barcelona have won the European Cup or Champions League five times, but they have never lifted the trophy in the UEFA Cup or Europa League.
Europa Conference League:
2021-22 Europa Conference League quarter-final draw in full:
Bodo/Glimt vs Roma
Feyenoord vs Slavia Prague
Marseille vs PAOK
Leicester vs PSV
Leicester will believe that they can make history by becoming the first winners of the Europa Conference League, with plenty of confidence taken from a dramatic win over Rennes in the last 16.
Brendan Rodgers’ side are now preparing to face Dutch giants PSV – who are pushing Ajax close in the Eredivisie title race.
Jose Mourinho has won just about every major honour in club football, and the Portuguese will be determined to enhance his CV with this trophy.
Roma have been paired with familiar foes in the form of Bodo/Glimt, with the Norwegian outfit, who have already taken in 18 European games this season, claiming a memorable 6-1 win over the Serie A side in the group stage.
PSV, who won the European Cup in 1988 and the UEFA Cup in 1978, crushed FC Copenhagen 8-4 on aggregate in the last 16 and currently sit second in the Dutch league, two points behind leaders Ajax.
The winners of that tie will face either Roma or Bodo/Glimt in the semi-finals, with the Italians meeting the Norwegians again after the sides also clashed in the group stage.
