The round of 16 first leg of the Europa League provided some notable results. Tottenham, led by Adébayor, suffered a heavy defeat at White Hart Lane against Benfica (1-3), following their recent loss to Chelsea in the league. Valencia, featuring Feghouli and Kéïta, secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Ludogorets Razgrad, despite Seydou Keita’s expulsion. Red Bull Salzburg, led by Sadio Mané, settled for a goalless draw against Basel, setting up an intriguing return leg.
Paul Pogba’s Juventus faced Fiorentina in a tough Italian clash, resulting in a 1-1 draw after the Viola initially took the lead. Meanwhile, Olympique Lyonnais dominated Viktoria Plzen with a convincing 4-1 win, led by Lacazette, Mvuemba, and Fofana.
Naples, featuring Faouzi Ghoulam, suffered a narrow 0-1 defeat against FC Porto in Portugal, leaving the tie finely poised. In a heated Spanish encounter, Bétis Sevilla claimed a 0-2 victory over Sevilla FC, taking a significant step towards qualification.
In the Netherlands, AZ Alkmaar secured a 1-0 victory against Anzhi Makhachkala, further adding to the intrigue of the Europa League knockout stages.
