Impressive winners of Borussia Dortmund in the knockout stages, Scottish champions Rangers host Serbian counterparts Crvena zvezda in the round of 16 first leg of the UEFA Europa League, a stage of the competition from which the Glasgow side have been knocked out each times. of the last two seasons.

• Rangers clinched a place in the UEFA Europa League knockout stage with one game to spare, finishing second behind Lyon in Group A on eight points, before beating Dortmund 6-4 on aggregate (4-2 a, 2-2 h) with Captain James Tavernier. scoring three of their goals in the tie.

• Crvena zvezda topped Group F in the autumn ahead of Braga, Midtjylland and Ludogorets but as section winners with just six goals – the same number Rangers managed in Group A. That was the first time the Belgrade team had ever finished first in a European group.

Rangers vs Crvena zvezda: the latest match news

Previous meetings
• Rangers and Crvena zvezda have already played three times in UEFA competition, with the Scottish side having the advantage with two aggregate wins against one.

• A play-off in London was needed to separate the teams when they first met, in the 1964/65 European Cup preliminary round, after Rangers won the first leg 3-1 in Glasgow and Crvena zvezda s won 4-2 in Belgrade. to return to. With no away goals rule in place, the Scottish side qualified after winning the extra game 3–1 at Arsenal’s Highbury.

• The teams only met in the second round of Crvena zvezda’s triumphant 1990/91 European Cup campaign, with Darko Pančev scoring in both matches as the Belgrade side went on to a 3-0 home win with a 1-1 draw in Glasgow.

• The most recent encounter, however, belonged to Rangers, as they eliminated Crvena zvezda from the 2007/08 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round, Nacho Novo’s 90th-minute goal in the first leg at Ibrox s ‘proving to be the only goal of the meeting. . Walter Smith’s side would end this European campaign as UEFA Cup runners-up.

• Rangers’ only other UEFA game against a Serbian opponent was a 2006/07 UEFA Cup group game at home to Partizan, which they won 1-0 thanks to an Alan Hutton goal for reach the knockout stage. They are therefore undefeated at home by the Serbian visitors (W3 D1).

• Crvena zvezda’s all-time home and away record against Scottish opponents is W2 L3. Beaten by Celtic in the 1968/69 European Cup second round (1-5 a, 1-1 h), they beat Hearts on away goals in the Cup Winners’ Cup qualifying round European 1996/97 (0-0h, 1-1y). They still have to win in five trips to Scotland (D2 L3).

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Form Guide
Rangers
• Unbeaten champions Scotland in 2020/21 as they won a record 55th domestic league title, Rangers also made 13 appearances in the UEFA Europa League, progressing from the second qualifying round to the round of 16, where their journey ended with Slavia Prague (1-1 a, 0-2 h).

• Rangers returned to the UEFA Champions League for the first time in a decade this season but lost both third qualifying round matches 2-1 to Malmö and were therefore transferred to the UEFA Europa play-offs League, where they edged out Alashkert to reach the final. group stage for the fourth consecutive season. Although they lost their first two group games – against Lyon (0-2 h) and Sparta (0-1 a) – they remained unbeaten thereafter, taking four points from Brøndby (2-0 h, 1-1 a) and taking second place. place with a 2-0 victory over Sparta at Ibrox on matchday five in their first game under new manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst, who had replaced Steven Gerrard.

• This is Rangers’ fourth appearance in the UEFA Europa League round of 16, and their third in a row, a record. However, in the previous three campaigns they failed to qualify for the quarter-finals, coming out at PSV Eindhoven in 2010/11 (0-0 a, 0-1 h), at Bayer Leverkusen in 2019/20 (1-3 h, 0-1 a) and Slavia last season. They are therefore yet to win a game at this stage of the competition, scoring just two goals and losing all three home games.

• The Glasgow giants have lost just five of their last 31 European home games (W19 D7), although three of those defeats have come in the last seven – against Slavia, Malmö and Lyon. In the UEFA Europa League knockout stage, their record at Ibrox is W2 D2 L3, with all three eliminations all triggered by those home defeats.

Crvena zvezda
• A fourth consecutive Serbian SuperLiga title for Crvena zvezda in 2020/21, and second under manager Dejan Stanković, was completed with a first victory in nine years in the Serbian Cup. The club’s first domestic double since 2006/07 capped a season in which they also played a dozen games in Europe, reaching the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League, where they lost goals at the outside against AC Milan (2-2 h, 1- 1a).

• This season’s bid to return to the UEFA Champions League group stage, where Crvena zvezda played in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, was thwarted by Moldovan champions Sheriff in the third qualifying round after that the Belgrade team had eliminated Kairat Almaty. CFR Cluj were then convincingly beaten in the UEFA Europa League play-offs to secure Crvena zvezda’s third appearance in the group stage. After advancing as runners-up in each of their two previous campaigns, in 2017/18 and 2020/21, they clinched top spot in Group F on 11 points with a 1-1 draw against second-placed Braga. the 6th day.

• This is the Belgrade side’s first appearance in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16. They lost in the Round of 16 to CSKA Moskva (0-0h, 0-1a) in 2017/18 and to Milan last season. It is the club’s biggest advancement in a UEFA competition for 30 years.

• Crvena zvezda have lost just two of their 11 away matches in the UEFA Europa League proper (W3, D6), conceding just six goals in the process. Despite being beaten on the road in both UEFA Champions League qualifiers this season, they are unbeaten in seven away matches in the UEFA Europa League, including this season’s fixtures at CFR (2 -1), Ludogorets (1-0), Midtjylland (1 -1) and Braga.

UEFA Europa League squad changes
Rangers
In: Amad Diallo (Manchester United, loan), Aaron Ramsey (Juventus, loan), James Sands (New York, loan)
Outside: Juninho Bacuna (Birmingham City), Ianis Hagi, Filip Helander, Nathan Patterson (Everton)

Crvena zvezda
In: Nemanja Motika (Bayern Munich II), Ohi Omoijuanfo (Molde), Cristiano Piccini (Valencia)
Outside: Miloš Degenek (Columbus Crew), Lois Diony, Marko Lazetić (AC Milan), Njegoš Petrović (Granada)

Links and stories
• Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who made his 100th appearance in UEFA club competition in the first leg against Dortmund, kept a clean sheet in both games for the Ibrox club by beating Crvena zvezda in 2007/08 UEFA Champions League qualifying.

• Crvena zvezda Austrian international defender Aleksandar Dragović was part of the Leverkusen side that eliminated Rangers from the UEFA Europa League two seasons ago, starting the first leg at Ibrox and coming off the bench in the second leg.

• Aleksandar Katai, who converted crucial penalties for Crvena zvezda in both group games against Braga, also found the net for Serbia against Scotland in the UEFA EURO 2020 play-off penalty shoot-out, where Scotland, with Ryan Jack of Rangers, won 5-4 in Belgrade.

• Rangers midfielder Scott Arfield and Crvena zvezda goalkeeper Milan Borjan both played international football for Canada.

• Opposing managers Van Bronckhorst and Stanković met for the Netherlands and Serbia and Montenegro respectively in a group stage match at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, with the Oranje winning 1-0 in Leipzig. Both players have won over 100 caps at senior international level (Van Bronckhorst 106, Stanković 103).

• Rangers are in the last 16 of the UEFA Europa League for the third successive season. Only one team, Sevilla (2013/14–2015/16), have already scored the treble.

• Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos’ goal in the first leg against Dortmund was his 31st in all rounds of the UEFA Europa League, qualifying included, making him the third-highest all-time goalscorer in the league UEFA Europa League and UEFA Cup combined – level with Radamel Falcao and Aritz Aduriz and behind only Henrik Larsson (40) and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (34).

• Rangers and Crvena zvezda are the only two defending domestic champions to make the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 this season. The Serbian club is one of three national cup winners on the pitch, along with Barcelona and Braga.

• Crvena zvezda are one of three former European Cup/UEFA Champions League winners involved in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, along with Barcelona and Porto.

• Serbia have a club in the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 for the first time, making them the 23rd nation represented at this stage of the competition.

• Rangers and Crvena zvezda currently sit second in their domestic league standings behind their arch-rivals, the first three points behind Celtic, the bottom two behind Partizan.

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The UEFA Champions League Round of 16 brings David de Gea back to his roots, with the Manchester United keeper set to face his former side Atlético de Madrid for the first time since leaving the Spanish capital for Old Trafford in 2011.

De Gea worked his way into the Atlético first team during a sparkling spell that won the club the 2009/10 UEFA Europa League and 2010 UEFA Super Cup titles under the direction of coach Quique Sánchez Flores. However, if the memories will return as the 31-year-old returns to the Spanish capital, he insists it will be business as usual at kick-off.

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Back at Atlético with United

I like the fact that I was born in Madrid, but in the end it’s just a city. Now I feel like I’m from Manchester; I feel like anyone else in Manchester. Where you are loved and welcomed is your home. I’ve been here for many years and obviously anything can happen in life, in football, but honestly I can’t see myself far from Manchester United.

Of course I’m going home [for this tie], I’m going back to the club that gave me the opportunity to be who I am today. But that’s just another game. Everyone wants to play well, we want to win, it’s a Champions League match. Obviously, I wish Atlético the best, but I don’t know if the fact that we play them is a good or a bad omen. Everyone goes there to win, especially me.

By joining the Atlético team at 19

At that time, I was kind of the third-choice keeper [behind Sergio Asenjo and Roberto]. I always believed in myself, I trained a lot and I was just trying to prove: “I’m here, I may be young but I’m good enough”. I tried to do my best, and then it was lucky for me but unfortunate for Roberto that he got injured and I had the chance to prove that I was good enough.

When Quique [Sánchez Flores] happened, the team has changed. We won game after game, and there was a time when Asenjo and I were both available and he picked me. I played almost every game. We reached the UEFA Europa League final and we won it. We also reached the Copa del Rey final. We lost, but at least we made it to the final. And then we won the UEFA Super Cup against this great Inter team.

Be good with your feet

What a goalie has to do is keep the goals out; that’s the most important thing. And then, if you have the talent or the quality to be able to play with your feet and have good vision, it’s phenomenal. I feel very comfortable playing with my feet, playing from the back, following the example of my team, but it depends on the coach and the style of play.

[With Spain we] play with a very high defensive line. I’ve been playing like this since I’ve been in the youth teams. [At United] we try to play with a high line, but some players are very fast and very talented, and if the pressing is not good enough, we can have problems behind. But for the goalkeeper, you need to be out of your line, on the lookout for any potential passes behind the back so you can help your defence.

On his taste for heavy metal

It started when I was a kid. I spent my summers in Alicante with my parents. There were other boys around, a little older than me, and they listened to that kind of music, so I listened too. I like heavy metal and rock. It really motivates me. I love Slipknot, Avenged Sevenfold, System of a Down. I also like Bullet for My Valentine. I kinda like everything, anything you can think of – [Frank] Sintra, for example. I also like Spanish music. Frankly, I listen to everything.

Am I a good dancer? Well…I’m not a bad mover considering my size. I have a good sense of rhythm. I don’t dance like Michael Jackson, but I’m fine, honestly. I am a good dancer; a really: decent standard.

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A first European away win of the season gave Slavia Praha the lead as they led 3-2 in the second leg of the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout stage against Fenerbahçe.

• Slavia, who have played in all three European club competitions this season, finished second in their UEFA Europa Conference League section behind Feyenoord, finishing with eight points, one clear of Union Berlin, while Fenerbahçe finished third in UEFA Europa League Group D. , behind Eintracht Frankfurt and Olympiacos.

Previous meetings
• The clubs’ first UEFA meeting took place in Istanbul on 17 February and it was the visitors who emerged victorious, Ibrahim Traoré of Slavia, Oscar Dorley and Ondřej Lingr and Dimitris Pelkas and Ferdi Kadıoğlu of Fenerbahçe all finding the target for the first time in this European campaign. in a five-goal thriller.

• Slavia’s only experience against a Turkish opponent before the first leg was a draw in the 2002/03 UEFA Cup fourth round, losing 4-3 on aggregate to Fenerbahçe rivals Beşiktaş (1-0h, 2 -4a).

• Fenerbahçe have now faced Czech opponents 11 times (W4 D1 L6). They lost their first three away matches in the Czech Republic, conceding 14 goals in the process, but won the last two, both 1-0.

• The Istanbul team’s record in knockout ties against Czech clubs is W2 L2, the most recent ending in their favor by eliminating Viktoria Plzeň from the 2012/13 UEFA Europa League Round of 16 (1-0y, 1-1h) en route to reaching the semi-finals of what remains the club’s most successful European campaign.

Slavia Praha vs Fenerbahçe: the latest match news

Form Guide
Slavia
• Slavia went through the entire 2020/21 domestic season unbeaten to claim a Czech league and cup double, and also enjoyed a long run in the UEFA Europa League, reaching the last eight for the second time in three seasons, where he lost to Arsenal. having already defeated two other British clubs, Leicester City and Rangers, in the knockout stage.

• This European campaign did not start well for Jindřich Trpišovský’s side, however, with defeats in both qualifying matches – against Ferencváros in the UEFA Champions League and against Legia Warszawa in the UEFA Europa League play-offs. It meant a move to the UEFA Europa Conference League, where they won two, drew two and lost two of their group games, with a vital 1-1 draw in Berlin on Matchday 6 allowing them to qualify as Group E runners-up at hosts Union. costs, although six points adrift of section winners Feyenoord.

• Slavia have lost just one of their last 12 European matches in Prague (W6 D5) – 0-4 against Arsenal in the UEFA Europa League quarter-final second leg last season – and are unbeaten at home in this continental campaign (W3 D2).

• The Prague side have won nine of the ten UEFA matches in which they have won the away leg, most recently against CFR Cluj in the UEFA qualifying play-offs Champions League 2019/20 (1-0 a, 1-0 h). . Their only defeat came against Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2000/01 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round (1-0 a, 0-2 aet). They have never won the first leg away 3-2 before, although all but one of those first leg wins came by a goal.

Fenerbahce
• Third in the 2020/21 Turkish Süper Lig, two points behind champions Beşiktaş and runners-up Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe returned to Europe after two seasons away and beat HJK Helsinki in the play-offs to earn a sixth UEFA appearance . Europa League group stage.

• The Istanbul club’s perfect record in UEFA Europa League group stage qualifying came to an end this season, however, as they were beaten at home (0-3) and away (0- 1) by Olympiacos and held to two draws 1-1 by Eintracht Frankfurt. Their only win was 3-0 away to Antwerp, with whom they had drawn 2-2 at home a fortnight earlier.

• Fenerbahçe’s victory in the play-offs in Helsinki last August ended a six-game losing streak on their trip to Europe (D1 L5). Their last European road win in the spring was that 1-0 success in Pilsen nine years ago; since then, their record is D2 L4, with defeats in the last three.

• The Istanbul side have lost all nine of their previous UEFA matches in which they lost at home in the first leg, seven of them by one goal but none by a 2-3 scoreline . They have also lost the second leg away on nine occasions, most recently to Arsenal in the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League qualifying play-offs (0-3h, 0-2a).

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UEFA Europa Conference League squad changes
Slavia
In: Mads Emil Madsen, Yira Sor (Baník Ostrava), Maksym Talovierov (Dynamo České Budějovice)
Outside: Jan Boříl, Ubong Ekpai (Baník Ostrava, loan), Christian Fülöp, Jan Kuchta (Lokomotiv Moscow), Ladislav Takács

Fenerbahce
In: Serdar Dursun, Ozan Tufan (Watford, ready)
Outside: Max Meyer (Midtjylland, loan), Diego Rossi, Muhammed Gümüskaya (Giresunspor, loan)

Links and stories
• Fenerbahçe defender Filip Novák is a Czech international. He played six times against Slavia in the Czech league for Zlín and Jablonec (W3 D2 L1), scoring in both games against them for Jablonec in 2014/15 (1-1 a, 2-1 h).

• Novák has played alongside several Slavia players for the Czech Republic and is a former Jablonec team-mate with Lukáš Masopust (2014-16) and Stanislav Tecl (2015/16).

• Tecl made his senior debut for the Czech Republic as a substitute in a 2-0 win over Turkey in a friendly in Manisa on 6 February 2013.

• Fenerbahçe appointed a new head coach on 12 January, İsmail Kartal to replace Vítor Pereira, who was dismissed on 20 December.

• Slavia are one of two defending domestic champions to take part in the UEFA Europa Conference League knockout stages, fellow holders Norway Bodø/Glimt.

Shoot to the net
• Slavia’s UEFA record for two penalty kicks is W2 L0:
5-4 v Schalke, 1998/99 UEFA Cup first round
4-3 v Žilina, 2007/08 UEFA Champions League second qualifying round

• Fenerbahçe’s record in a UEFA penalty shootout is W1 L0:
3-2 v Sevilla, 2007/08 UEFA Champions League Round of 16

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Norway’s Bodø/Glimt matched their stunning 6-1 loss to Roma in the group stage by beating Celtic 3-1 on the opening night of the UEFA knockout stage Europa Conference League.

Elsewhere, Leicester City and Marseille got off to a comfortable start at home and Slavia Praha triumphed at Fenerbahçe, while neighbors Sparta Praha were undone by a late Partizan goal. UEFA.com wraps up the action.

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Leicester City 4-1 Randers

Leicester ended a five-game winless streak, with Wilfred Ndidi setting the tone with a finish after a clever brace with Ademola Lookman. Patrik Carlgren then made a string of saves to hold off Leicester, before Vito Hammershøj-Mistrati leveled again moments before half-time.

Harvey Barnes quickly dashed the visitors’ hopes after the break, and well-worked tap-ins from Patson Daka and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall sealed victory.

Key stat: Daka (six goals) added to his tally as Leicester’s all-time leading goalscorer in Europe, while Barnes (five) overtook Riyad Mahrez (four) for second place on this list.

Celtic 1-3 Bodø/Glimt

Bodø/Glimt’s remarkable rise continued with a fine victory in Glasgow. The visitors to the Arctic Circle took the lead with seven minutes spent by Runar Espejord and extended their lead shortly after the break when Amahl Pellegrino showed good composure from close range. Daizen Maeda’s header gave Celtic hope, but Hugo Vetlesen struck almost immediately to leave the Norwegian side in control.

Key stat: It was Celtic’s second home defeat against a team from Norway – and only Bodø/Glimt’s second away win in European football this century.

Fenerbahce 2-3 Slavia Prague

Ibrahim Traoré opened the scoring for Slavia just before the break after Srdjan Plavšić touched the post. Dimitris Pelkas coolly equalized just before the hour mark, but Oscar Dorley’s spectacular smoothing shot and substitute Ondřej Lingr’s low drive capped a devastating three-minute spell for Slavia. Ferdi Kadıoğlu’s late and deflected curler gave Fenerbahçe hope for the second leg.

Key stat: It was Slavia’s first victory in seven away matches in UEFA competition.

Marseille 3-1 Qarabag

The in-form Arkadiusz Milik struck twice in a row in the first half, putting one away after his header was cleared off the line and then finishing calmly after Qarabağ was caught trying to try to play from behind. The Azerbaijani side rallied in the second half as Filip Ozobić hit a post before Kady’s goal rewarded a neat move. Dimitri Payet’s stoppage-time strike from fellow substitute Bamba Dieng’s cross eased the tension.

Key stat: Milik has now scored 12 goals in his last 11 appearances in all competitions.

PSV Eindhoven 1-0 Maccabi Tel Aviv

Cody Gakpo’s early arrival was enough to secure victory for PSV, but the Dutch side failed to convert their dominance into chances and deliver a more decisive blow ahead of next week’s second leg at Bloomfield Stadium. Dor Peretz brilliantly fended off Noni Madueke’s header and PSV’s Israeli striker Eran Zahavi sent a free-kick just a hair’s breadth away as the visitors maintained an equal score.

Key stat: Gakpo, 22, has appeared in each of PSV’s last three games: one in the Dutch Cup, one in the Eredivisie and now one in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

Sparta Prague 0-1 Partizan

The hosts paid the price after failing to convert ball possession into meaningful pressure, with Partizan breaking through in the 78th minute in Prague. Saša Zdjelar threw a long ball forward and Queensy Menig chased it between two retreating defenders before passing Dominik Holec for the first time. The goalkeeper saved Miloš Jojić late to keep Sparta in the draw, and they almost managed to equalize after a last-minute corner kick.

Key stat: No team has scored more than once in Partizan’s last five European matches: that 1-0 win, two 1-0 losses and two 1-1 draws.

Midtjylland 1-0 PAOK

Joel Andersson’s well conceded goal in the 20th minute gave the Danish side a slim advantage to take in the second leg, right-back played by Evander before firing low from Alexandros Paschalakis. Midtjylland robbed PAOK of chances in Herning and almost doubled their advantage, with Brazilian midfielder Charles hitting the post from long range.

Key stat: Midtjylland remain unbeaten at home in Europe since the start of this season’s UEFA Europa League group stage (W2 D2).

Rapid Vienna 2-1 Speed

An action-packed opening minute began with Vitesse forcing Paul Gartler into a save, before Robert Ljubičić slotted in Ferdy Druijf to head in the first UEFA Europa Conference League goal to date. Marco Grüll’s quick feet scored a superb solo goal 15 minutes later, but Vitesse recovered with Loïs Openda’s powerful strike after Filip Stojković was sent off for Rapid.

Key stat: Rapid were winless at home in four games in all competitions tonight; Vitesse have now lost five in a row, conceding 18 in the process.

Liverpool take on defending Serie A champions Inter Milan in a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 series that combines two historically successful European clubs.

The Reds are six-time winners of the competition, lifting their last trophy in 2019 when they beat Tottenham in all of England’s finals.

They have enjoyed mixed success against Italian clubs in recent years, having faced an Italian side in every Champions League year since the 2017-18 season.

Below is a ranking of Liverpool’s top five wins against Italian sides in the club’s history. We’ll see if the Inter Milan-Liverpool Round of 16 battle makes the difference.

5. Liverpool 1-0 Napoli (2019)

Perhaps not the most iconic European night at Anfield, but very important and underrated nonetheless. Liverpool hosted Napoli for the final match of the 2018-19 group stage requiring a clean sheet victory, or a win by two clear goals to reach knockouts.

Part of a dangerous group that saw French pivots PSG, Napoli and Red Star Belgrade’s surprise package; Liverpool had faltered, losing to all three teams.

Facing Napoli was no easy test, but Liverpool registered 23 shots on the night and dominated the proceedings. Mohamed Salah’s individual brilliance gave Liverpool the lead, after a dazzling run past Kalidou Koulibaly that saw him score from a tight angle.

Napoli didn’t pose a real threat until added time. When, in the dying minutes of the game, a cross found its way to Arkadiusz Milik from five yards out and the Napoli striker looked set to break Liverpool’s hearts. After a brilliant first touch, he shot straight at Alisson, who had rushed to close the angle.

Not a vintage night at Anfield, but that moment from their Brazilian keeper secured their qualification for the knockout stages. That save is now considered invaluable, given that Liverpool won the trophy some six months later.

4. Liverpool 2-1 Juventus (2005)

Facing star-studded Juventus, Liverpool hosted the Italian giants at Anfield for the first leg of their 2004-05 Champions League quarter-final series.

The likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Pavel Nedved and Alessandro Del Piero were edged out in a 2-1 win at Liverpool that gave the Reds a slim advantage going into the second leg.

Centre-back Sami Hyppia got Liverpool off to a great start with a fine left-footed finish from a corner, and that was followed by a superb long-range strike from Spaniard Luis Garcia 15 minutes later.

The Italian side pulled back a goal through Cannavaro, then hit the post and saw a seemingly legitimate goal ruled out for offside that would surely have been ruled out these days by VAR.

Liverpool held on after a 0-0 draw in the second leg. That series injected Liverpool with the belief to beat domestic rivals Chelsea in the semi-finals and go all the way after another epic showdown against another Italian side (more below).

3. Liverpool 5-2 AS Roma (2018)

It stands out as one of the most impressive semi-final first-leg wins in Champions League history. AS Roma arrived at Anfield for the first leg of the 2017-18 semi-finals after an iconic late victory against FC Barcelona.

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah was a former Roma player himself but showed them no remorse by scoring twice and assisting twice in a dazzling performance on the big stage.

The Reds took a 2-0 lead at half-time thanks to an unstoppable strike from outside the box from Salah. He then raced on the counterattack to chip away future Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker, in a brilliant move.

By the 68th minute, Liverpool were leading 5-0 and fans were already booking their tickets for the final in Kyiv. Roma then hit back with two late goals, but the damage was already done in a scintillating and mind-blowing half hour.

2. Roma 1-1 Liverpool ap (1984)

Liverpool won their fourth European Cup in the 1983-84 season when they beat AS Roma on penalties at their home ground at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico in a historic victory for the English side.

Having won three European Cups in the previous seven years, including three in five seasons between 1976 and 1981, Liverpool were at the forefront of European football and arrived in Rome hoping to add another European title to its growing collection.

For Roma, it was their first appearance in a European Cup final.

Phil Neal gave the England side a dream start after just 14 minutes, but the home side fought back just before half-time with a superb looping header from Roberto Pruzzo minutes before half-time.

Penalties were needed to separate the two sides, and Liverpool got off to a nightmarish start as Steve Nicol fired on first down. Thankfully, Bruno Conti returned the favor to keep Liverpool in the shootout.

It was striker Francesco Graziani who, surprisingly, also took the shot before Alan Kennedy came home to secure a famous European Cup for the Reds.

1. Liverpool 3-3 AC Milan AET (2005)

What is considered one of the most famous Champions League finals of all time saw Liverpool as strong underdogs when they faced mighty AC Milan in Istanbul in 2005.

Liverpool finished fifth in the Premier League that season, while Milan boasted one of the best starting XIs in Champions League history, with most players going down in footballing history as legends Game.

The Italian side quickly prevailed in the match, scoring after just 50 seconds as Milan took a 3-0 halftime lead.

After one of Steven Gerrard’s most important goals as Liverpool captain, strikes from Vladimir Smicer and Xabi Alonso pulled Liverpool from the brink to force extra time in a stunning turnaround.

After holding out for another half an hour, Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek was the hero, twice saving Ukraine leader Andriy Shevchenko from close range in the dying minutes of extra time as penalties loomed.

With both teams missing penalties, Liverpool were leading 3-2 when Shevchenko stepped in for Milan. But his weak penalty was saved by Dudek to hand Liverpool their fifth European Cup in one of the most dramatic finals in football history.

PSG and real Madrid bring the derby from UEFA Champions League round of 16. The two powers will have their first meeting in Paris, at the Parc des Princes. We’ve seen them face off often over the past few years, once in the knockout stage as well. Even though they are in first place in the respective national leagues, neither team plays impressive football. Some say it’s because of the conservative style which Pochettino and Ancelotti prefer, others say the reasons are different. The future will tell which ones are right.

Overview

PSG (+100) ousted victory against Rennes in the last test before the clash with Real. Mbappé scored in stoppage time for the 1-0, and a good atmosphere in the locker room. The Saints have only suffered one defeat in the last 14 games, and that was against Nice in the Coupe de France, after penalties.

The Parisians then bounced back furiously, beating Lille away, 1-5. Just to remind you that they lost the title and the Cup to this unit last season. It was arguably the best game for Pochettino’s team in three months.

At home, PSG is very strong, especially the offensive part of the team. We’ve seen them score twice or more in seven of the last 10 games at the Parc des Princes. However, Messi and the lads only scored once in the last 180 minutes here.

real Madrid (+200) gets away with undeserved wins throughout the campaign. Even the games in which they didn’t play well at all end with Los Blancos triumphing. But in the last four games, they only managed to deliver one victory.

The main reason for this was a bad attack, as Real scored one goal in 270 minutes. The absence of Karim Benzema is felt massively, and Ancelotti does not have the player capable of covering his absence. These three competitions all ended with one or no goals.

Real’s tactic is quite simple. Close all paths to the goal and form a tight block in front of the box. After winning possession, the target is Vinicius and the young Brazilian is tasked with leading the break.

Recent news

Due to a calf injury, Sergio Ramos won’t play against his former side. Herrera is also absent, as are Letellier and Michut. Neymar injured his ankle a long time ago and he can’t attack the old rivals.

Benzema is the only unavailable player on Real’s list. Still, his impact is greater than any of the absent PSG players in the squad.

head to head games

PSG and Real contested the 2019 UCL group stage, and the French powerhouse won at home, 3-0, while the rematch ended 2-2. In 2018 they were also in the knockout stage and Real eliminated the opponents winning in both clashes, 1-2 in Paris and 3-1 at home.

Prediction

The best thing to do here is to go for low efficiency. It’s the first leg, and we’re sure Pochettino and Ancelotti won’t take too many risks, which is why under 2.5 goals stand out as the best choice.

Pick: Under 2.5 goals +120

With Matchday 7 taking place over four separate days, Fantasy managers have multiple opportunities to find a successful captain. Here’s a guide to who should be considered on each playday on #UCLfantasy, brought to you by Playstation.

Choose Your Fantasy Captain for Day 7

TUESDAY 15 FEBRUARY

João Cancelo (€6.5m) against Sporting CP (A)

Manchester City failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their six group games, but that didn’t stop marauding full-back Cancelo from racking up an impressive number of Fantasy points. The Portugal international registered two goals and three assists in his five appearances which helped him to 41 points when combined with his 33 ball recoveries and his player of the match performance against the Club Brugge on matchday three. Given Cancelo’s output, more attacking returns wouldn’t come as a surprise against Sporting CP on Matchday 7 and if Pep Guardiola’s men can tighten up at the back then Cancelo could be a great captain option during the first day.

Other options: Kevin De Bruyne (€10.9m), Lionel Messi (€11.3m), Kylian Mbappé (€10.9m)

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 16

Robert Lewandowski (€12.0m) against Salzburg (A)

It’s a toss-up between Lewandowski and Leroy Sané for the main candidate for captaincy in Bayern’s ranks, but the former is chosen because of his incredible consistency in the UEFA Champions League. The Pole has added nine goals this year to his tally in the competition – which now stands at 82 – and has made an attacking contribution in every game of the group stage. With 22 goals, Bayern have beaten every other team in this season’s competition and those who put the armband on Lewandowski could have some great #UCLfantasy comebacks if the German champions continue in the same way against Salzburg in the round of 16 .

Other options: Leroy Sané (€9.4m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (€6.6m), Mohamed Salah (€10.9m)

TUESDAY 22 FEBRUARY

Antonio Rüdiger (€5.9m) against LOSC (H)

Chelsea’s defensive record at Stamford Bridge in the UEFA Champions League has been impressive of late, with only one goal conceded in their last eight home matches. On Matchday 7, the defending champions welcome French champions LOSC Lille, who scored seven goals in the group stage, the fewest goals of any side qualifying. With that in mind, another clean sheet could well befall Rüdiger, who has conceded just once in his five Group H appearances. Add to that the German international’s lunging forward alongside his threatens a set-piece attack and you have all the ingredients for a high-impact captaincy option.

Other options: Arnaut Danjuma (€6.8m), Dušan Vlahović (€9.5m), Romelu Lukaku (€10.6m)

WEDNESDAY 23 FEBRUARY

Sébastien Haller (€9.3m) against Benfica (A)

If #UCLfantasy managers need a final roll of the dice for a Matchday 7 captain, then Haller certainly represents a worthy candidate. The Ajax leader is enjoying a sensational second season for the Dutch champions and that has been particularly the case in the UEFA Champions League, with ten goals propelling the Ivory Coast to the top of the scoring charts. With Erik ten Hag’s men scoring a glut of goals in all competitions this season, Fantasy managers will be clamoring to fill their Matchday 7 squads with attacking assets from Ajax ahead of their Round of 16 first leg at Benfica , and Haller will be the primary option for many.

Other options: Cristiano Ronaldo (€11.4m), Bruno Fernandes (€10.9m), Dušan Tadić (€9.2m)

Tottenham have decided not to appeal UEFA’s decision to hand Rennes a 3-0 victory in their Europa League Conference group game, according to Jonathan Calf by PA Sports.

Spurs were due to face the French side in a crucial last game of the group stage in December, but saw the game originally called off due to a Covid outbreak in Antonio Conte’s squad (sky sports).

With space on the calendar limited for a postponement, UEFA said the game could not be played on another date (evening standard), condemning Spurs to abandon the game and ultimately withdraw from the competition.

In response, Football.London claimed last month that Spurs could appeal the verdict with their response “under review” by club lawyers.

However, Veal has now confirmed that Spurs have made a final decision on whether to pursue action against UEFA and have decided not to appeal, despite the consequences of their exit.

It’s no surprise given the next round is two weeks away, but Spurs have decided not to appeal UEFA’s decision to hand Rennes a 3-0 win in their Champions League fixture. group postponed from the Europa League Conference. The club had discussed it with its lawyers. #THFC

— Jonathan Veal (@jonathandveal83) February 1, 2022

Spurs are currently seventh in the Premier League and firmly in contention for a top four place at the end of the season and are preparing to face Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round.

They suffered a loss to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-finals last month, however, failing to score a single goal against the Blues in two legs.

Boosts web opinion

In all honesty, Spurs could do without being in this competition now firmly in the second half of the season. Spurs don’t have the squad to take part as they are still firmly in the fight for a Champions League place and retain their FA Cup status this season.

Eight teams are preparing for the UEFA Futsal EURO 2022 quarter-finals at the Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam on Monday and Tuesday, with three former champions and a trio of debutants still in contention.

We preview the action.

Monday

Portugal v Finland

It’s the starters against the starters who will start the quarter-finals, but despite winning all three Group A games to progress in relative comfort, there is reason for World and European champions Portugal to be nervous.

The last time these sides played, in a FIFA Futsal World Cup qualifier exactly two years to the day before meeting here, Finland led the group hosts 2-0 thanks to Juhana Jyrkiäinen and Miika Hosio with less than two minutes left. However, Bruno Coelho and Cardinal then scored for a draw that proved crucial in securing Portugal an automatic place in Lithuania, where they won the title last fall.

Finland, who will miss the suspended Jani Korpela, showed tactics and courage as they edged Slovenia 2-1 in Friday’s decisive Group B game after holding Italy 3-3 before losing 6-2 against Kazakhstan despite two leads. Victory would go down in history: no Finnish team has ever won a knockout game in a UEFA national team finals.

Jorge Braz, Portugal coach: “We will have to be a very strong Portugal if we want to beat Finland. They are a team that know how to stay in the game. They are never out of the game. They know what they have to do to fight for the result until the end. Tomorrow will be no different. The simple things like no one else. They don’t do the difficult things, they do the simple things perfectly. Their evolution has been fantastic.”

Mićo Martić, Finland coach: “We are sportsmen and we believe that futsal miracles are possible. We know how difficult it was against them. But it ended 2-2. We believe that whoever is on the other side , we can win. They miss Ricardinho but it’s amazing how much experience their young players have, they are more powerful than ever. They are champions and it’s a great honor for us to face them. I just hope they’re a little tired of winning all these titles!”

Key stat: Portugal are unbeaten in 30 competitive games since a penalty shootout loss to Iran for third place at the 2016 World Cup, and 31 in 40 minutes since losing the last four to Argentina in this tournament.

Kazakhstan vs Ukraine

Kazakhstan have a very good record in the quarter-finals, having won the last eight matches in their last two EURO futsal appearances (2016 and 2018) as well as last year’s World Cup, although suffered a penalty shoot-out loss to Japan in the 2001 AFC Futsal Championship before their move to UEFA.

Their group form suggests goalscoring: they drew 4-4 with Slovenia despite being three behind, beat Finland 6-2 after falling behind twice, then beat Italy 4-1. However, Taynan and Edson picked up costly suspensions against Italy, while Azat Valiullin is now ruled out with injuries. However, Albert Akbalikov is back from suspension and Chingiz Yesenamanov is also featured in these finals for the first time.

Two-time runners-up Ukraine were narrowly beaten by the Netherlands and Portugal in Group A but a 6-1 loss to Serbia prevented them from progressing to the last eight in ten consecutive futsal EUROs in different formats.

That said, they were down to just ten players by the time they met Portugal due to the absences of Volodymyr Razuvanov, Vitaliy Radevych, Oleksandr Pediash and Artem Fareniuk – and, to make matters worse, Mykhailo Zvarych picked up a chest injury. finger. They hope to be closer to full strength on Monday.

Kaká, coach of Kazakhstan“We know that Ukraine never give up and they haven’t conceded many goals. They are a very physical team and it will not be easy for us or for them.”

Oleksandr Kosenko, Ukraine coach“It’s a knockout game so only one team can qualify. We are prepared for a very difficult game. Kazakhstan is a very strong oar, collectively and individually. Of course, it will help Kazakhstan to be three players short, but while we were four players short, we managed to get even stronger, so it will depend on their preparation and response. Maybe they can change their strategy to surprise us. They are not their only strong players.”

Key stat: Ukraine have been in the quarter-finals in every edition since the round was introduced in 2010 and have lost all five times.

Tuesday

Russia vs Georgia

Russia was perhaps the team’s choice in the group stage, scoring 16 goals as they beat Slovakia 7-1, Croatia 4-0 and Poland 5-1. The team almost so often since their only major title at EURO Futsal 1999, they look out of sorts and have even overcome the injury that cost them prolific pivot Eder Lima, with Artem Antoshkin currently leading the race at top scorer with five goals and three assists. .

Georgia, like Russia, finished with two games to spare after comebacks to beat Azerbaijan 3-2 and Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-1 – making them the first debutants to start with a pair of wins since 2010 Their style of play led to some thrilling action, although their 8-0 loss to Spain on Saturday left them facing Russia, who beat them 4-0 in Tbilisi and 3-0 at Schelkovo. last year during qualifying.

Sergei Skorovich, Russia coach: “We have unity in the team, and our objective is ambitious and concrete. We must work hand in hand.”

Chaguinha, Georgia player“It was a hard lesson for all of us [against Spain] and we will have to be fully focused against Russia to make sure nothing like this happens again. I don’t think this result will affect us psychologically because many of our players have a lot of experience at the highest level and can handle all the side effects of a result like this.”

Key stat: Russia have won four EURO Futsal quarter-finals in a row since losing on penalties to Spain in 2010.

Spain vs Slovakia

Spain slipped under the radar a bit when they started Group D beating Bosnia and Herzegovina 5-1 before being held 2-2 by Azerbaijan. However, Georgia’s 8-0 loss, equaling their own tournament-record winning margin, was a signal of intent from a side that have never gone to back-to-back Futsal EUROs without lifting the trophy.

A total of nine different players scored for the seven-time winner, including a late contribution from Adolfo against Georgia upon his return to the team, and another from Solano, freshly called up to replace injured Esteban Cejudo.

As for Slovakia, they recovered from a 7-1 loss to Russia and a 2-2 draw with Poland to progress by beating Croatia 5-3. In doing so, they ensured that three of the four debutants made it out of the group stage, more than in all previous post-1999 editions combined.

Their chances of going further may well hinge on Tomáš Drahovský, the Santa Coloma player who was the Spanish league’s top scorer last season and is only behind Ferrao and Adolfo this term.

Fede Vidal, Spain coach: “Slovakia is going to be a very difficult match, like everyone else. There are no favorites in the tournament or in the matches. If we want to win, we have to play a great match.”

Key stat: Spain did not fail to appear among the last four of the last 11 Futsal EUROs.

What is the form of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16? Where do they stand in their domestic leagues and cups? With more than two months between the end of the group stage and the start of the knockout phase, UEFA.com is following the action.

Meet the Champions League Round of 16

Ajax

From Matchday 6: WWWWWWL (all competitions, most recent first)
Winter holidays: from December 23 to January 15
Where they are: 1st in Eredivisie, Dutch Cup quarter-finals
Round of 16: Benfica, 23/02 (a) and 15/03 (h)

Atletico

Since Day 6: WLLDWWLLL 
Winter holidays: from December 23 to January 1
Where they are: 4th in La Liga
Round of 16: Manchester United, 23/02 (h) and 15/03 (a)

bavaria

Since day 6: WWLWWW
Winter holidays: from December 18 to January 6
Where they are: 1st in the Bundesliga
Round of 16: Salzburg, 16/02 (a) and 08/03 (h)

Benfica

Since day 6: WDWLLWWW
winter break: none
Where they are: 3rd in La Liga, semi-finals of the Coupe de la Ligue
Round of 16: Ajax, 23/02 (h) and 15/03 (a)

chelsea

Since Day 6: WDLWWWDDWWDDW
winter break: scheduled from January 23 to February 7
Where they are: Premier League 3rd, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup final
Round of 16: LOSC, 02/22 (h) and 03/16 (a)

Inter

Since day 6: WWWWWWW
Winter holidays: from December 23 to January 8
Where they are: 1st in Serie A, Coppa Italia quarter-finals
Round of 16: Liverpool, 16/02 (h) and 08/03 (a)

Juventus

Since Day 6: DWWLWDWWD
Winter holidays: from December 22 to January 5
Where they are: 5th in Serie A, Coppa Italia quarter-finals
Round of 16: Villarreal, 22/02 (a) and 16/03 (h)

liverpool

Since Day 6: WWWDWDLDDWW
winter break: scheduled from January 23 to February 7
Where they are: Premier League runners-up, FA Cup fourth round, League Cup final
Round of 16: Inter, 02/16 (a) and 03/08 (h)

LOSC

Since Day 6: LWDDWWD
Winter holidays: from December 23 to January 3
Where they are: 10th in Ligue 1
Round of 16: Chelsea, 22/02 (a) and 16/03 (h)

Manchester City

Since Day 6: DWWWWWWW
winter break: scheduled from January 23 to February 7
Where they are: Premier League 1st, FA Cup fourth round
Round of 16: Sporting CP, 15/02 (a) and 09/03 (h)

Manchester United

Since Day 6: WWDWLWDW
winter break: scheduled from January 23 to February 7
Where they are: 4th in the Premier League, fourth round in the FA Cup
Round of 16: Atlético, 23/02 (a) and 15/03 (h)

Paris

Since Day 6: WWDWDWW
Winter holidays: from December 23 to January 2
Where they are: 1st in Ligue 1, knockout stages of the Coupe de France
Round of 16: Real Madrid, 15/02 (h) and 09/03 (a)

real Madrid

Since Day 6: DWWWWLWDW
Winter holidays: from December 23 to January 1
Where they are: 1st in La Liga, Copa del Rey quarter-finals
Round of 16: Paris, 02/15 (a) and 03/09 (h)

Salzburg

Since day 6: W
Winter holidays: from December 12 to February 3
Where they are: Bundesliga 1st, Austrian Cup quarter-finals
Round of 16: Bayern, 02/16 (a) and 03/08 (h)

sports CP

Since day 6: LWWLWWWW
winter break: none
Where they are: 2nd in La Liga, Portuguese Cup semi-finals, League Cup semi-finals
Round of 16: Men. City, 02/15 (h) and 03/09 (a)

Villarreal

Since Day 6: WLDLWWWW
Winter holidays: from December 22 to January 2
Where they are: 7th in La Liga
Round of 16: Juventus, 22/02 (h) and 16/03 (a)