17 March 2011
The UEFA Europa League round of 16 second leg fixtures take place this evening, with some of the biggest names in competition looking to turn around first leg deficits in an effort to reach the quarterfinals.
English duo Liverpool and Manchester City are both at home and looking to overturn first leg defeats away to Braga (0-1) and Dynamo Kyiv (0-2) respectively.
Reds boss Kenny Daglish believes home advantage will help his side turn the tie around: Anfield is always an advantage for us, he explained.
“Even though we’re one down, the fans can help us turn things around, but it’s mainly up to us to help ourselves,” said the 60-year-old.
“We need to start much better than in the first leg. We want to be in European competition next year and to do that we need to win matches, starting tomorrow. European football and this club are synonymous and we want it to continue.”
City boss Roberto Mancini is of the opinion that his side can overcome their two-goal deficit against Dynamo, but urged his players to be patient and disciplined in the game.
“I think we can score, but it is not important that we score after five minutes or after half an hour,” said the Italian.
“It is important that we play as a team, that we are very strong and that we don’t concede a goal.”
Another big name in trouble is Dutch club Ajax, who travel away to Spartak Moscow in hope of overturning a 1-0 defeat from the first leg in Amsterdam, while Germanys Bayer Leverkusen have the tough task of trying to beat Villareal away after the first leg ended 3-2 in favour of the Spaniards.
Porto look good for the quarterfinals, as they hold a 1-0 lead ahead of their home match against CSKA Moscow, and its the same story for FC Twente, who have a difficult trip to Zenit St. Petersburg but enjoy a 3-0 cushion from the first leg.
Paris Saint-Germain are looking to overcome a 2-1 deficit when they host Benfica, and the match between Rangers and PSV Eindhoven in Glasgow is intriguingly poised after the first leg in the Netherlands ended goalless.
UEFA Europa League round of 16, second leg fixtures:
(First leg score in parenthesis)
Thursday, March 17
Paris Saint-Germain v Benfica (1-2)
Manchester City v Dynamo Kyiv (0-2)
Zenit St. Petersburg v FC Twente (0-3)
Spartak Moscow v Ajax (1-0)
Porto v CSKA Moscow (1-0)
Rangers v PSV Eindhoven (0-0)
Villareal v Bayer Leverkusen (3-2)
Liverpool v Braga (0-1)
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