This was an easy matchup. The only Europe’s undefeated team against UEFA’s 57th ranked team from Azerbajian, which has to play its games away from home since 1993 due to the First Nagorno-Karabakh War. Leverkusen are in terrific form, they will be German champions after 11 consecutive Bayern titles, and they are last year’s Europa League semi-finalists. They have already played against Qarabag in the group stage this season and won 5-1 and 1-0. They have dominated European games so far and recorded all six wins. The last team to register more consecutive wins in a Europa League campaign was Villarreal in 2020/21 (nine) – the eventual champions. This was the most favorable draw in the whole Round of 16 in the competition, and yet the small Qarabag were 20 minutes away from a huge win as the lead 2-0. In the end, the sleepy German giant need only 20 minutes to level the score and avoid a huge embarrassment.Florian Wirtz scored in 70th minute, before Patrick Schick leveled the game in the 92nd minute for the final 2-2 in the first leg. Who was watching Quarabag’s results knew they were a tough nut to crack and they defeated Portuguese Braga in a knockout round play-off after a dramatic 6-5 (on aggregate) result. And even thou Bayer already played them twice, they didn’t have the right attitude and finished the first half with 2-0 down. The Horsemen hit the front through Yassine Benzia in the 25th minute, before Juninho stunned the away crowd in injury time with the second goal.Xabi Alonso had to bring in the heavy artillery at the start of the second half. Granit Xhaka, Fripong and Wirtz had to go on the field… However, everything would have looked like a fairy tale for Qarabag if it hadn’t been for Leandro Andrade’s cardinal mistake. Wanting to return the ball to his half, the midfielder of Qarabag practically threw a perfect pass to Wirtz, who lobbed Lunev. Leverkusen pressed, although Juninho had a colossal chance on the other side. The punishment for that loss came in stoppage time, as Schick headed the ball into the net after a cross from the right.UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE1/8 finals – first legWednesdaySporting – Atalanta 1-1 (1-1)/Paulinho 17 – Scamacca 39/ThursdayRoma -Brighton 4-0 (2-0)/Dybala 14, Lukaku 43, Mancini 64, Cristante 68/Qarabag – Leverkusen 2-2 (2-0)/Benzia 26, Vieira 45+2 – Wirtz 70, Schick 90+2/Sparta Praha – Liverpool 1-5 (0-3)/Bradley (og) 46 – Mac Allister (og) 6, Nunez 25, Darwin 45+2, Diaz 53, Szoboszlai 90/23:00: (2.00) Olympique Marseille (3.50) Villareal (3.80)23:00: (2.60) Freiburg (3.40) West Ham (2.85)23:00: (1.48) AC Milan (4.30) Slavia Praha (7.00)23:00: (1.60) Benfica (4.00) Rangers (5.70)***odds are subject to change***
