Skip to content

Europa League round-up: Atletico Madrid join Arsenal in semi-finals as Red Bull Salzburg stun Lazio

Atletico Madrid are favourites to lift the Europa League trophy
Image: Atletico Madrid are favourites to lift the Europa League trophy

Atletico Madrid overcame a scare to see off the challenge of a fired-up Sporting Lisbon and book their place in the semi-finals of the Europa League.

Fredy Montero's first-half header gave Sporting hope of overturning their 2-0 first-leg deficit, but Atletico comfortably protected their narrow lead after the break to advance to Friday's draw despite losing 1-0 in the Portuguese capital.

Koke put Atletico in front after only 23 seconds of the first leg but they were on the back foot in the early stages in Lisbon.

The hosts got the goal their start deserved on 28 minutes when Oblak flapped at Bruno Fernandes' right-wing cross and Montero, who missed a golden chance in stoppage time last week, stooped to head home from a tight angle at the back post.

Sporting continued to dominate and went close to levelling the tie on the stroke of half-time as Bryan Ruiz's long-range strike forced Oblak into a fingertip save.

Diego Costa's frustrating evening ended when he hobbled off shortly after the break and was replaced by Fernando Torres, featuring for the first time since announcing he had decided to leave Atletico in the summer.

Torres flashed a header over after Antoine Griezmann had sparked Atletico into life with a left-footed shot which was saved low down by Rui Patricio.

Also See:

The Spanish side continued in search of a crucial away goal, with Griezmann bending a free-kick just wide before fluffing two one-on-ones.

In the end it was not required as Atletico avoided the drama endured by La Liga rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid in the Champions League to remain on course for their third Europa League crown.

RB Salzburg stunned Lazio 4-1 to win an enthralling quarter-final 6-5 on aggregate
Image: RB Salzburg stunned Lazio 4-1 to win an enthralling quarter-final 6-5 on aggregate

Meanwhile, Red Bull Salzburg came from behind to earn a stunning 4-1 victory that secured an unlikely Europa League semi-final berth at the expense of Lazio.

The Austrian outfit's chances of progressing looked all but gone when Ciro Immobile broke the deadlock after 55 minutes to put Lazio 5-2 up on aggregate.

But just two days after Roma's unbelievable victory over Barcelona, Salzburg followed in their footsteps to dump out Lazio.

Moanes Dabbur equalised 84 seconds later to boost Marco Rose's side's slim hopes of progressing before Amadou Haidara, Hwang Hee-chan and Stefan Lainer struck inside four second-half minutes to turn the quarter-final tie on its head and seal a 6-5 aggregate win.

Marseille thrashed RB Leipzig 5-2 to secure a 5-3 aggregate victory
Image: Marseille thrashed RB Leipzig 5-2 to secure a 5-3 aggregate victory

Marseille were another side that overturned a deficit, with a 5-2 victory over RB Leipzig enough for them to progress.

Leipzig held a slender 1-0 advantage from the initial meeting in Germany and they got a crucial away goal through Bruma just 64 seconds into the second leg.

Yet the tie was soon level as Stefan Ilsanker scored an own goal and Bouna Sarr added a second before Florian Thauvin's effort gave Marseille an aggregate lead prior to half-time.

Leipzig hit back through Jean-Kevin Augustin, and at that point they would have progressed on away goals, only for ex-West Ham winger Dimitri Payet and Hiroki Sakai to score and make sure of Marseille's progress via a 5-3 aggregate success.

Play Super 6 for £250k
Play Super 6 for £250k

Could you be the next Super 6 jackpot winner? Enter your predictions for free here.

Around Sky