IMAGES from Europa League matches played on Thursday.
IMAGES from Europa League matches played on Thursday.
Rangers joined Barca in the last eight despite losing 2-1 at Red Star Belgrade, progressing 3-2 on aggregate.
United lost 3-2 at home to a fearless and skilful Athletic Bilbao, their second successive European defeat at Old Trafford, in the first leg of their round-of-16 tie. Central defender Xandao scored with a cheeky back-heel to give Sporting a 1-0 win over City in Lisbon, ending the Premier League leaders' run of six straight wins.
Eintracht Frankfurt beat 10-man West Ham United 1-0 in their Europa League semi-final
Mohamed Salah has arrived in Istanbul, greeted by hundreds of fans, ahead of his expected free transfer to Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor, marking a new chapter after nine successful years at Liverpool.
VfB Stuttgart had to come from two goals down against Norwegian outsiders Molde on Thursday to scrape into the final qualifying round of the Europa League.
Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt headed a late goal to send the five-times European champions into the last 16 of the Europa League with a 1-0 victory over a defiant Sparta Prague at Anfield on Thursday.
Images from Europa League matches played on Thursday.
The 24 sides through from the group phase join the eight third-placed finishers in the Champions League in Monday's draw, including Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam.
Liverpool diced with elimination before scoring two late goals to win 2-1 at Trabzonspor and squeeze into the Europa League on Thursday while Swiss second division side Lausanne came through with a shock win over Lokomotiv Moscow.
Besiktas's Europa League game at home to Tottenham Hotspur was suspended twice on Thursday after the floodlights failed in each half before the Turkish side won 1-0.
Chelsea has signed England international Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa for a reported 117 million, making him the most expensive British player. Rogers, who previously helped Villa win the Europa League, expressed excitement about joining Chelsea, a club he has always admired.
Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the World Cup despite a valid visa, has been appointed to officiate the upcoming UEFA Super Cup match between Paris St Germain and Aston Villa. This appointment follows a cooperation agreement between UEFA and CAF.
Financially troubled Spanish club Real Mallorca have been excluded from this season's European competition by governing body UEFA.
Holders Sevilla swept into a second consecutive Europa League final.
IMAGES from the Europa League matches played on Thursday
'The Europa League is a massive thing for us now -- it's a trophy and it gives us qualification for the Champions League. With the players we have got, we can be unstoppable'
Former European champions Steaua Bucharest and English Premier League Southampton suffered shock defeats by Scandinavian teams in Europa League qualifiers on Thursday.
Diego Forlan scrambled an early goal to give Atletico Madrid a deserved 1-0 win over a lethargic-looking Liverpool in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday.
IMAGES from the Europa League matches played on Thursday
After a collective blow-out in the Champions League, England has a three-pronged attack on Europe's second tier competition with Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United all vying for Europa League success.
Napoli recovered from three goals down to draw 3-3 at Steaua Bucharest in the Europa League on Thursday as holders Atletico Madrid were held 1-1 by Bayer Leverkusen.
Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker says the players are focused on winning the Europa League as well as their four remaining Premier League games to give manager Arsene Wenger the perfect send-off.
Images from UEFA Europa League semi-finals played on Thursday.
Alexandre Lacazette's free-kick sent Arsenal into the Europa League semi-finals with a comfortable 1-0 win away over Napoli, while Chelsea beat Slavia Prague 4-3 in a roller-coaster game, helped by a Pedro brace.
Paris St Germain defeated Aston Villa 2-1 to retain the UEFA Super Cup, with goals from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Desire Doue. Despite Brian Madjo's equaliser for Villa, PSG secured their victory, marking another trophy for manager Luis Enrique and highlighting their continued dominance in European football.
Javier Saviola and Oscar Cardozo scored two goals apiece and defender Luisao was also on target as Benfica thumped Everton 5-0 in the Europa League on Thursday.
West Ham United were knocked out of the Europa League in the third qualifying round on Thursday after a 2-1 defeat at Romanian side Astra Giurgiu.
AC Milan have been drawn to play Manchester United in what is the standout tie in next month's Europa League round of 16.
The UEFA Cup will be renamed the UEFA Europa League from next season in an effort to boost the competition that has lost much of its appeal, European soccer's governing body said on Friday.
Manchester United fans are planning to protest against being asked to pay 71 pounds ($101.5) per ticket for their Europa League away match against Danish league winners Midtjylland on Thursday, according to reports in the British media.
Qarabag had chances, Tural Baymarov missing from the penalty spot just before the hour mark and Junior hitting the woodwork, but Spurs stayed in control of the match.
Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck a vital late goal to seal a 3-1 win over Valencia on Thursday and give his side breathing space for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final in Spain next week.
The Manchester clubs' wretched continental seasons ended on Thursday as outclassed United and battling City suffered contrasting Europa League last-16 exits to an exhilarating Athletic Bilbao and a fortunate Sporting respectively.
Manchester United must learn to ignore their critics as their performances may have been affected by the intense scrutiny the team have been under throughout the campaign, manager Louis van Gaal said on Wednesday.
Olympique de Marseille were the fall guys on a hectic opening night of Europa League group stage action as German club Eintracht Frankfurt returned from the south of France with a surprise 2-1 victory on Thursday.
Liverpool and Ajax Amsterdam, who have won the European Cup nine times between them, failed to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League after making embarrassing exits from the competition on Thursday.
Lazio, who had won all four previous games, were held to a frustrating scoreless draw by a Bulgarian side who came to defend.
Barcelona will face a struggling Galatasaray team who are 13th in the Turkish top-flight.
