Barcelona’s European campaign has gone from bad to worse in its first post-Lionel Messi season.
First, the Spanish powerhouse was eliminated from the lucrative Champions League, and now it has been eliminated from the Europa League second division by Eintracht Frankfurt.
The German team stunned Barcelona 3-2 at the Camp Nou to advance to the semi-finals with an aggregate score of 4-3.
Barcelona were the title favourites, looking to win the only trophy that was not in their collection. He was playing in the Europa League for the first time and had never won its predecessor, the UEFA Cup, reaching the semi-finals four times but not reaching a final. Frankfurt won the UEFA Cup in 1980.
Frankfurt will face West Ham after the Premier League club advanced to the semi-finals of a European competition for the first time since 1976 by eliminating Lyon 4-1 on aggregate.
Earlier, Christopher Nkunku scored twice to help Leipzig reach their first semi-final in European competition with a 2-0 win at Atalanta.
Kemar Roofe scored in extra time as Rangers prevailed 3-1 over a nine-man Braga for a 3-2 aggregate win to face Leipzig next.
Leicester became the first team to advance to the semi-finals of the inaugural Europa Conference League after coming back from a goal down to beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1 in the Netherlands.
The Premier League team will next play Roma. With José Mourinho at the helm, Roma are one of the favorites to win the new UEFA third division competition. The Italian club got their revenge with a 4-0 win over Norway’s Bodø/Glimt to reach the semi-finals 5-2 on aggregate.
EUROPEAN LEAGUE
Barcelona had possession, a goal scored by Frankfurt. They had entered tied 1-1 after the first leg.
In a dream start for the visitors, Filip Kostic put them ahead 1-0 from the penalty spot four minutes into the game, deflecting past goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen.
Rafael Borre doubled the advantage in the first half with a shot to the roof of the net from 25 meters that left Ter Stegen without options. Kostic scored again in the 67th minute.
Barcelona threatened late when Sergio Busquets scored in the 91st minute. The visitors were reduced to 10 after Evan N’Dicka received a second yellow before substitute Memphis Depay’s penalty 11 minutes into stoppage time.
American defender Sergiño Dest came on for Barcelona in the 61st, his first appearance since injuring his left thigh at Galatasaray on March 17.
In Lyon, West Ham survived the initial pressure and Craig Dawson scored the opening goal from a Pablo Fornals corner in the 38th. Declan Rice doubled the lead with a deflected shot six minutes later.
Jarrod Bowen stretched the lead to 3-0 three minutes into the second half with a low shot from the edge of the box.
At Glasgow’s Ibrox Stadium, James Tavernier erased a 1-0 deficit in the first leg at Braga with an angled shot in the second minute. The Rangers defender scored his second penalty goal just before the break. David Carmo’s header for Braga in the 83rd minute forced extra time, and Roofe’s effort in the 101st put Rangers through.
Nkunku scored in the 18th minute from a Konrad Laimer pass and doubled the lead with a penalty late in the second half to seal Leipzig’s 3-1 aggregate win.
Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso had fouled Nkunku in the box to set up the Frenchman’s 30th goal of the season in all competitions.
EUROPE CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Leicester became the first team to advance to the semi-finals of the inaugural Europa Conference League after coming back from a goal down to beat PSV Eindhoven 2-1 in the Netherlands.
Leicester’s 2-1 aggregate victory after a 0-0 draw in the first leg sets up a semi-final match against Roma.
Ricardo Pereira scored the winner two minutes from time to win Leicester’s first European semi-final after goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo saved substitute Patson Daka’s attempt.
Eindhoven opened the scoring when former Germany international Mario Götze set up Eran Zahavi for his eighth European goal this season and fourth in the last four Europa Conference League games.
James Maddison overturned that for Leicester in the 77th minute.
At Rome’s Stadio Olympic, striker Tammy Abraham opened the scoring for Roma in the fifth minute before Nicolò Zaniolo stole the show. He increased the lead to 3-0 with two goals, the first between goalkeeper Nikita Haikin’s legs, in the space of six minutes later in the first half and completed his hat-trick early in the second.
Marseille won the second leg at PAOK Thessaloniki 1-0 to advance 3-1 on aggregate and face Feyenoord in the semi-finals after the Dutch club eliminated Slavia Prague 6-4 on aggregate. Cyriel Dessers scored twice to lead Feyenoord to a 3-1 victory over Slavia.
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