Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen win to reach Europa League quarter-finals

Liverpool thrashed Sparta Prague 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Europa League as Bundesliga leaders Bayer Leverkusen scored two goals in stoppage time to eliminate Qarabag on Thursday.

AC Milan, Marseille, AS Roma, and West Ham were among the other sides to also book their place in Friday’s quarter-final draw.

Despite leading 5-1 from the first leg, Jurgen Klopp named a surprisingly strong Liverpool side and was well-rewarded as the Reds remain on course for a quadruple of trophies.

Darwin Nunez and 19-year-old Bobby Clark got Klopp’s men off to a flying start before Mohamed Salah marked his first club start since January 1 with his 20th of the season.

Cody Gakpo fired in the fourth before Liverpool briefly took their foot off the gas ahead of Sunday’s trip to Manchester United in the FA Cup.

Veljko Birmancevic pulled a goal back for Sparta, but Dominik Szoboszlai and Gakpo completed the rout in the second half.

Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has been heavily linked as Klopp’s successor at Anfield, and his side remain unbeaten in all competitions this season thanks to Patrik Schick’s stoppage-time double to beat Qarabag 3-2 on the night and 5-4 on aggregate.

Schick also struck in added time during the first leg as Bayer Leverkusen came from 2-0 down and they needed to do the same at home.

Abdellah Zoubir and Juninho gave the Azeri champions a stunning lead.

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But the visitors paid for having to play the final half hour down to 10 men as Elvin Cafarguliyev was sent off for hauling down Jeremie Frimpong.

Frimpong reduced the arrears before Schick turned home at the near post on 93 minutes.

And there was still time for the Czech forward to head in the winner seven minutes into added time.

West Ham trailed 1-0 from the first leg against Freiburg but roared back to reach a European quarter-final for the third consecutive season with a 5-1 aggregate.

Brighton left themselves too much to do as a 1-0 win over Roma could not overturn a 4-0 first-leg deficit.

Danny Welbeck scored the only goal as the Seagulls at least ended their first-ever European campaign on a high.

Benfica ended Rangers’ hopes of another deep run in the Europa League with a 1-0 win in the lashing Glasgow rain to progress 3-2 on aggregate.

Seven-time European champions AC Milan also cruised into the last eight with a 3-1 win over 10-man Slavia Prague.

Villarreal ended Jean-Louis Gasset’s unbeaten run as Marseille boss but a 3-1 victory in Spain was too little for the Spaniards as they went out 5-3 on aggregate.

Atalanta beat Sporting Lisbon 2-1 on the night in Italy to go through 3-2 on aggregate.

The Star