Showing posts with label @europaleague. Show all posts
Showing posts with label @europaleague. Show all posts

Wednesday, 18 May 2016

Liverpool v Sevilla - Preview


Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson could make his first start since early April in the Europa League final against Spanish side Sevilla.

The England midfielder, 25, returned from a knee injury in Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw at West Brom.

Striker Divock Origi could also feature in Basel, Switzerland after returning to training following an ankle injury.

Defender Mamadou Sakho is still banned after failing a drugs test as the Reds chase their 12th European trophy.

"I don't expect to start," said Henderson. "I know I've been out a long time and I've only played 25-30 minutes.

"When I've been injured the team has done very well and played in some big games to get to the final.

"I'm ready to play as long or as little as the manager wants me to."

Sevilla - who have won the trophy for the past two seasons - have no new injury worries, with Denmark midfielder Michael Krohn-Dehli out with a long-term knee injury.

Liverpool know winning Europe's secondary club competition will earn them a place in next season's Champions League group stage. But defeat would leave the Reds without European football - for the second time in three seasons - after they finished eighth in the Premier League.

"Everyone wants to play in the Champions League but if you look back on a career with no trophies and six seasons in the Champions League, it's not the same," said midfielder James Milner.

"It's all about winning trophies and to win any European trophy is a massive achievement."

Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool manager
I came here because I was really convinced of the quality of these players. At the start I was the only person, but now a few more people know. To see how they deserve this final makes me feel really good. I am happy that they could show how strong they are. This is a big chance to take a big step.

The longer you don't win anything, the harder you try. We already know about the desire of our supporters. We know how much they want to win this cup. They showed us in an impressive way, home and away, travelling around Europe. We would really love to be the team that makes these dreams come true. I can promise that we will try everything. The problem is, Sevilla will do the same!

We have to be organised, prepared, take control of moments – be patient to pass for long enough to create that chance. In a final you need to be ready to make mistakes when the whole world is watching. Football doesn't work without mistakes. It's about finding the next solution.

Unai Emery, Sevilla coach
Every time football gives you a chance you have to take it. What we have achieved in recent years is wonderful but you can't stop there; you have to relive it, you have to experience it again. The Sevilla fans know this: they look upon the club as their second wife or second girlfriend.

Liverpool are among the best ten teams in the world. They have a great history – they have won the European Cup five times, the UEFA Cup, English league titles. The team have changed under the new coach, they are a happy team. They're like Athletic Bilbao the way they press and give 100%.

All my players have special characteristics and we need the best of them against Liverpool; we need everything they have. We want to grow. We can change history and have our names recorded in the history of the competition. We must find a balance, though, to keep our emotions in check so we can be fully focused. We'll need it.


Thursday, 5 May 2016

Liverpool v Villarreal - Preview

The Kop 
Liverpool midfielder Emre Can will return to the Reds squad for the Europa League semi-final second leg against Villarreal at Anfield.

The Germany international, 22, has missed the past five matches after injuring an ankle in the quarter-final win over Dortmund. 

Liverpool must overturn a 1-0 deficit to reach their first European final in almost a decade.

The Reds, who lost to AC Milan in the 2007 Champions League final, are attempting to win silverware in Jurgen Klopp's first season as manager. Since replacing Brendan Rodgers in early October, the 48-year-old German has named strong line-ups during their Europa League run.

Former Dortmund manager Klopp's side were installed as favourites to win Europe's secondary club competition - which would earn qualification for next season's Champions League - after their thrilling win against his old club.

But Villarreal substitute Adrian Lopez's injury-time winner last week gave the Spanish side a slender advantage in the fight to reach the 18 May final.

"If we play our best then we can go to the final," said Klopp. "These players gave me a lot of positive signs about their qualities.

"We are ready. All we did since October was to be perfectly prepared for a game like this. We are not expecting a guarantee to go to the final. We are expecting everything and see what we get for it."

Villarreal have a fully fit squad to choose from, with defender Eric Bailly and forward Leo Baptistao recovered from injuries.

The winners will face either Spanish holders Sevilla or Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk, who drew 2-2 in their first leg, in the Swiss city of Basel.

"We come here full of hope," said Villarreal manager Marcelino. "We are going to give everything we have got and enjoy ourselves. We feel we have the capabilities to make it through to the final."

Three years after being promoted back to La Liga, Villarreal have reached a European semi-final for the fourth time, but have never made it to a final.

In contrast, Liverpool have won five European Cups and lifted the Uefa Cup three times before it was rebranded as the Europa League.

However, while Liverpool need to win the Europa League to qualify for next season's Champions League, Villarreal are already assured of a place in Europe's top club competition after securing a fourth-place finish in La Liga.

"Liverpool as a club have an extraordinary squad of footballers when you consider Benteke cost the whole turnover as Villarreal as a club," said Marcelino.

"But this group of players needs to be proud of what they have achieved as we are already qualified for the Champions League. This is an occasion to be celebrated."



Sevilla v Shakhtar Donetsk - Preview

Unai Emery - Getty Images
Sevilla coach Unai Emery believes it will be a big ask for the Europa League champions to reach the final despite their slender advantage over Shakhtar Donetsk.

Kevin Gameiro's late penalty earned Sevilla a 2-2 draw in Ukraine in last week's semi-final first leg and the two sides meet again on Thursday.

Those away goals mean a goalless draw will be enough for Sevilla to progress.

Sevilla will be without midfielder Michael Krohn-Dehli after he was taken off on a stretcher in the first leg with a serious knee injury.

For Shakhtar, Marcio Azevedo is out because of a knee problem, while Dentinho and Oleksandr Hladkyy are doubtful.

The Europa League represents Sevilla's only chance of playing in next season's Champions League after a run of just one win in seven La Liga games ended their league hopes.

Shakhtar, meanwhile, are in good form. They are unbeaten in their previous 10 games, winning seven of them.

The winner of Thursday's semi-final second leg will meet either Liverpool or Villarreal in the final at Basel's St Jakob-Park stadium on 18 May.

Unai Emery, Sevilla coach
To get to a final you have to take your chances. We need to give our opponents as few of them as possible. Both sides want to get to the final and it will be a very even game.

We're expecting the best Shakhtar there is – they won the tournament in 2009 and they're used to winning their league. Their coach is much more experienced than I am. It is a big ask – they'll be 90 tough minutes and we need to be ready for it.

Mircea Lucescu, Shakhtar coach
In Lviv we had a very good first half but failed to convert several counterattacks. Our biggest mistake, though, was that in the second period we sat back on our 2-1 lead, content to keep it that way until the end of the match.

It will be a complicated second leg. Sevilla are European specialists. There aren't many youngsters; it's all experienced players. And they are headed by a strong coach who does his homework on opponents and never fails to put his game plan across


Thursday, 28 April 2016

Shaktar Donetsk v Sevilla - Preview

Getty Images
Sevilla will continue their bid for a third consecutive Europa League title when they play Shakhtar Donetsk in Thursday's semi-final first leg.

The Spanish side, winners in 2014 and 2015, like Shakhtar entered this year's competition after being knocked out at the Champions League group stage.

The match will be staged in Lviv, where Shakhtar have had to play home games.

They have been unable to play in their home ground in Donetsk due to the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. Lviv lies nearly 800km to the west of Donetsk.

Uefa Cup winners in 2009, Shakhtar saw domestic rivals Dynamo Kiev claim their Ukrainian league title on Sunday.

They last met Sevilla in 2007, when the Spanish side's goalkeeper scored an injury-time equaliser to send their Uefa Cup last-16 tie into extra time.

Sevilla went on to win their second successive title and now have the most Europa League titles in history with four in total.

Mircea Lucescu
It is very important to maintain a high performance level. Shakhtar have reached it by lifting the UEFA Cup [in 2009] and now we are in the Europa League semi-finals. Other eastern teams like CSKA [Moskva], Zenit, Galatasaray all won the UEFA Cup but none managed a semi-final after it, none of them repeated their success. I'm very proud of my players and of the team.

We've shown some clips of the two games [against Sevilla in the 2007 UEFA Cup round of 16] to the players. We had ten seconds left! Sevilla went on to win the UEFA Cup. I think they just got lucky. Let's hope the luck they had then now passes to us; everything in life balances itself out.

Unai Emery, Sevilla coach
We're enjoying every moment, we have so much energy right now. Shakhtar's record in the last ten years is spectacular but they have lost important players along the way. We've got to the semi-finals three years in a row and are thinking only of getting through.

We're in great form at the moment. Our players' eyes are open, they are excited, and I think the team is united. We are well aware that we have an opportunity to make history.


Villarreal v Liverpool - Preview

Klopp - Getty Images
Christian Benteke could return for Liverpool against Villarreal after travelling with the rest of the first-team squad to Spain.

Benteke returned to full training earlier this week after a month out with a knee ligament injury sustained on international duty with Belgium.

The 25-year-old, who last featured for Liverpool in the 3-2 defeat at Southampton on March 20, could be named among the substitutes for the Europa League semi-final first leg at the Estadio El Madrigal.

Benteke’s return to fitness will be a welcome boost for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who lost Divock Origi to a “serious injury” during last week’s Merseyside derby.

Meanwhile, Klopp called for bravery from his players if they are to overcome Villarreal to reach the Europa League final and maintain their hopes of Champions League football next season.

Klopp’s men produced a sensational second-half comeback from 3-1 down to beat his old side Borussia Dortmund 4-3 at Anfield to reach the last four.

However, the German warned against complacency as, despite their lack of European pedigree compared to the English giants, Villarreal are enjoying a great season.

“We are now in the semi-finals. We got there because we deserved it, and now we have to show we are strong enough to go through.

Klopp will be without a number of players crucial to Liverpool’s upturn in fortunes over recent weeks.

French defender Mamadou Sakho didn’t travel to Spain on Wednesday as he awaits the result of a UEFA investigation into an alleged failed doping test.

Emre Can, Divock Origi and captain Jordan Henderson are also sidelined by injury.

The build-up to the game has been overshadowed by the ruling that the 96 Liverpool fans that died at the Hillsborough tragedy 27 years ago were unlawfully killed in the biggest inquest in English legal history.

Villarreal have announced they will mark the decision with a tribute to the victims before the game.

However, once the action gets underway, the Yellow Submarine are intent on causing an upset to reach their first ever Cup final.

“Maybe Liverpool could be considered favourites because of their history as a club,” said Villarreal coach Marcelino.

“But we don’t consider ourselves in any way inferior to them and we think we can beat a team as legendary as Liverpool.”

It is 10 years since Villarreal came excruciatingly close to reaching the Champions League final against English opposition as Jens Lehmann saved Juan Roman Riquelme’s last-minute penalty to send Arsenal to the final 1-0 on aggregate.

However, Marcelino believes having almost sealed their place in next season’s Champions League already through La Liga, his players have no pressure on them to reach the final.

“The context is similar (to 10 years ago), but we are convinced that we can eliminate Liverpool,” he added.

“It is a privilege to play this semi-final. There was much more pressure in the previous ties and now we have a great chance to make history in this club.”

Marcelino
Perhaps Liverpool are the favourites because of their history, their standing as a club and the fact they eliminated Dortmund, one of the big favourites. But we don't consider ourselves inferior to them. We're going to give everything to try and knock out this legendary team.

Liverpool are a very good side with a lot of extraordinary players who play very dynamic football. They are good on the counterattack, they press teams a lot – especially in the opposition half of the pitch. They won't let us play. We have to look for solutions to try and overcome that first line of pressure; if we do that, it will be a big first step.

Klopp
When I arrived in October, Basel [venue for next month's final] wasn't a real thing to think about; now it's not far away.

We've watched Villarreal five or six times. They defend in an organised way and are patient enough to wait for mistakes and then capitalise on them. How do we counter the threat of Soldado and Bakambu? By preventing passes through to them – maybe that's the best idea.

Experience is not something you can buy or talk about; it's something you earn and use. But if you use experience in the wrong way then it's worthless. It's all about the performance.


Friday, 18 March 2016

Klopp Heads Back to Dortmund


Jurgen Klopp has been handed a return to Borussia Dortmund, with the Reds facing the German side in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Klopp, 48, left Dortmund last summer after leading them to two Bundesliga titles and a Champions League final.

Sevilla, trying to win the competition for the third successive season, face Athletic Bilbao in an all-Spanish tie.

La Liga rivals Villarreal meet Czech side Sparta Prague, while Portugal's Braga face Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine.

Liverpool will travel to Dortmund's Westfalenstadion in the first leg.

Klopp's Liverpool playing the club where he built his reputation is the Europa League tie most neutral fans were hoping to see at some stage. But the German, who replaced Brendan Rodgers in October, said after Thursday's 3-1 aggregate victory against Manchester United that he wanted to avoid them in the last eight.

Thomas Tuchel's side are widely considered as favourites for the competition after beating Tottenham, who are second in the Premier League, 5-1 on aggregate in the last 16.

"Dortmund - why would I want the world's strongest team?" said Klopp, when asked whether he would like to face his former club in the next round.

"But if we go there, we try to win. We have to be prepared and hopefully we are."

The former Mainz manager led Dortmund to the 2011 and 2012 Bundesliga titles, plus the 2013 Champions League final, before asking to be released from his contract.

The quarter-finals will be played on 7 and 14 April.

Europa League quarter-final draw
Braga (Por) v Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr) 
Villarreal (Spa) v Sparta Prague (Cze)
Athletic Bilbao (Spa) v Sevilla (Spa)
Borussia Dortmund (Ger) v Liverpool (Eng)

Thursday, 17 March 2016

Valencia v Athletic Bilbao - Preview


Gary Neville insists he can handle the pressure but has made it clear his side need to ``deliver'' in Thursday's Europa League home clash with Athletic Bilbao.

Neville's position with Los Che continues to be under intense scrutiny after Sunday's 1-0 Primera Division loss at rock-bottom derby rivals Levante, which he branded ``unacceptable'' and was their third straight defeat in all competitions.

With Valencia currently 12th in the league table and their Copa del Rey campaign having ended in the semi-finals, the Europa League would appear their only realistic route left if they are going to achieve success this term.

They lost the first leg of their last-16 tie with fellow Spanish outfit Athletic 1-0 last week.

And ahead of their attempt to turn things around at the Mestalla, Neville - who also has international commitments to worry about as part of the England coaching team - said: ``I have no problem with anything that has been said in these last few days. I expected it.

``I don't want it, but I have been in football a long time and when you have a performance like that and you play like that (against Levante), you cannot defend (it).

``I understand the fans' anger - they should be angry and I accept this completely. I said this on Sunday after the game - that we have to accept any criticism that comes our way.

``Do I find it harder to work under the pressure?

``I have been in these types of situation - not as a head coach maybe, but as a player and as an assistant coach working with England, I have been in this type of situation before where it has been very difficult and I have been surrounded by these types of moment.

``I don't feel destabilised by the fact we are working under this level of pressure.

``But if we don't deliver, then we know the circumstances, we know the outcome, we know what is going to be said.''

Neville's men host an Athletic side who are six places above them in the Primera Division and on a five-game winning streak in all competitions.

Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde told Marca: ``For us it is a final. There is a team that will be left out, and we do not want it to be us.

``They may be under more pressure because they are further back than they thought, but that should not affect us - we have the same amount of enthusiasm as them.''

Thursday, 10 March 2016

Liverpool v Manchester United - Preview

Getty Images
Jurgen Klopp has called Thursday's Europa League last-16 tie against Manchester United "the mother of all football games".

The Reds host United in the domestic rivals' first meeting in Europe, though it is in the second-tier competition rather than the Champions League.

However, Klopp said: "I always said the Europa League is very exciting.

"It's really, really big. I hope it's not the biggest [match] in my Liverpool career but it's very important."

Manchester United have won three European Cups - most recently in 2008 in its current Champions League format - while Liverpool have lifted the trophy on five occasions.

United manager Louis van Gaal said those who criticise their demotion to the Europa League are "living in the past", and Klopp believes the tie will still enthral the crowd at Anfield.

"I don't believe in enemies in football, I believe in real opponents," said the 48-year-old German, who took former club Borussia Dortmund to the Champions League final in 2013.

"I have absolutely no problem with Louis van Gaal but the last thing I want is for him to win. Games like this are the mother of all football games."

Liverpool have won the Uefa Cup - precursor to the Europa League - three times, most recently in 2001, while United's best run was to the quarter-finals in 1985.

The winners of the competition qualify for the Champions League and Klopp defender the standard of the tournament.

"What's Champions League level? I saw a lot of rubbish games at Champions League level. Liverpool and Manchester United want to always be part of it, sure.

"There's a long way to go but we can see the line. There's only top quality teams left in this tournament. From now on its something like a small Champions League."

Striker Daniel Sturridge is likely to return to Liverpool's starting line-up and right-back Nathaniel Clyne will return at the expense of Jon Flanagan, who is not registered to play in the Europa League.

Midfielder James Milner is doubtful after he was sent home from training with illness.

Jesse Lingard is suspended for Manchester United and fellow winger Adnan Januzaj is cup-tied, but Antonio Valencia is set to be involved after a foot injury.

Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young, Will Keane, Luke Shaw, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Phil Jones are all still out.