Europa League draw: Liverpool get Italian job as West Ham meet undefeated Bayer Leverkusen; Klopp vs Alonso final possible
Liverpool and West Ham have learned their fates in Friday's Europa League draw
Liverpool face a stern Serie A test and West Ham will square off against Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen, while two mouth-watering match-ups in the final are now possible after Friday’s Europa League draw.
Liverpool advanced to the quarter-final stage of the Europa League with a resounding 11-2 aggregate win over Czech side Sparta Prague. The Reds are the heavy favourites to win the Europa League and their dominant display in the Last 16 will have sent shockwaves through the competition.
West Ham, meanwhile, overcame a one-goal deficit in stunning fashion when thumping Freiburg 5-0 in the second leg on home soil.
The Hammers lifted the Europa Conference League last term and hope to make it back-to-back successes in Europe under David Moyes.
Joining Liverpool and West Ham in the draw were Bayer Leverkusen, AC Milan, Atalanta, Roma, Benfica and Marseille.
The draw also mapped out each club’s respective route to the final, with Liverpool and West Ham learning who could lay in wait if they overcome their quarter-final opponents.
Liverpool drew Atalanta and will get a chance to observer transfer target Teun Koopmeiners up close and personal.
West Ham will square off against Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen who remarkably remain unbeaten across all competitions this season.
Quarter-final draw in full
AC Milan vs Roma
Liverpool vs Atalanta
Bayer Leverkusen vs West Ham
Benfica vs Marseille
The route to the final was also made clear, with an all-English affair between Liverpool and West Ham possible in Dublin.
Furthermore, a much-anticipated Klopp vs Alonso tie could also grace Ireland, with Liverpool and Leverkusen unable to square off until the final.
Semi-final draw
Benfica/Marseille vs Liverpool/Atalanta
AC Milan/Roma vs Bayer Leverkusen/West Ham
The final will take place in Dublin at the Aviva Stadium on Wednesday, May 22.
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