MADRID, 18 Mar. (EUROPA PRESS) –
FC Barcelona will meet its rival in the Europa League quarter-finals today in the draw to be held in Nyon, at UEFA’s home of football, starting at 1:30 p.m., in addition to also discovering a hypothetical path to the final in Seville.
The Catalans, who eliminated Galatasaray in the round of 16 after winning away from home by 1-2, are the only Spanish team in the quarterfinals of the second continental competition. This Friday, in an unrestricted draw, they will have as possible rivals two German clubs, one Portuguese, one French, one Scottish, one English and one Italian.
Of the Germans, Leipzig qualified for the quarterfinals without playing due to the elimination of Spartak Moscow after the invasion of Ukraine, while the German Eintracht dropped Betis (1-1) in extra time in the cruelest way after 1- 2 of Benito Villamarin.
The Portuguese representative is Braga, who surprised Monaco with a goal from the Spanish Abel Ruiz; and the French is Olympique de Lyon, who took down Porto. In addition, the dangerous Atalanta, the Scottish Rangers and West Ham, Sevilla’s executioner also in extra time, complete the list of possible opponents for Barça.
The draw will be pure for the quarterfinals, according to UEFA, with the qualifiers numbered from 1 to 4 for the subsequent semifinal draw. A draw will also determine the ‘home’ team in the final for administrative reasons, the agency said, stressing that there will be no top-seeded teams or country restrictions.
The first legs of the quarterfinals will be played on April 7, the first leg; and the second leg, on the 14th. The semifinal round, on April 28 (first leg) and the return leg on May 5, leaving the final at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville for Wednesday, May 18.
–CLASSIFIED TEAMS.
FC BARCELONA (ESP).
Rangers (ESC).
Braga ( POR).
Atalanta (ITA).
Leipzig (ALE).
Concord (ALE).
West Ham United (GBR).
Olympic Lyon (FRA).