THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2015 SPORTS Leverkusen nerves prove costly again SPAIN: Bayer Leverkusen failed once more goal, hopes of finally ending their losing to hold their nerve in a crucial game, going run in the round of 16 were ignited. out on penalties against Atletico Madrid in Roger Schmidt’s team have been play- the Champions League last 16. ing a good season in the Bundesliga, sitting Leverkusen, nicknamed ‘Neverkusen’ for in fourth place with their exciting brand of narrowly missing out on silverware over quick, counter-attacking football with the the years, last reached the quarter-finals of addition of Calhanoglu and Karim Bellarabi the competition in 2002 when they went all this season. the way to the final before losing to Real The Spanish champions, losing finalists Madrid. last season, were in no way spectacular in Not many favored Leverkusen to the first leg and were on the backfoot again advance but after their first leg 1-0 win in on Tuesday until they scored following Germany courtesy of Hakan Calhanoglu’s some sloppy defending midway through the first half. But Leverkusen failed to make posses- sion count and then missed three penalties Matches on TV in the shootout after the game ended 1-0 after extra time. (Local Timings) Their opponents were equally bad from the spot, missing two penalties themselves UEFA Europa League before striker Stefan Kiessling sent a wild effort over the crossbar with the Bundesliga side’s fifth penalty to send Dinamo v SSC Napoli 20:00 Atletico through. beIN SPORTS 1 HD “We were not courageous enough,” said beIN SPORTS 11 HD Leverkusen defender Gonzalo Castro. “You Kiev v Everton 21:00 could see that some of us were very sad and lost in their thoughts. But we worked beIN SPORTS 3 HD hard before we let in a stupid goal that beIN SPORTS 2 HD should normally not happen.” Roma v Fiorentina 21:00 Indicative of their lack of mental beIN SPORTS 1 HD strength was the weak penalty taken by Calhanoglu, by far the best Leverkusen AMSTERDAM: Ajax Amsterdam’s coach Frank de Boer (center) speaks to his team during a training session on the eve of the UEFA Europa beIN SPORTS 11 HD player this season and a hugely talented League round of 16 football match against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk. —AFP Torino v Zenit 23:05 midfielder. beIN SPORTS 3 HD The 21-year-old Turkey international simply rolled the ball into the hands of beIN SPORTS 2 HD Roma hoping to save season keeper Jan Oblak, choking at the worst Sevilla v Villarreal 23:05 possible moment this season and crushing beIN SPORTS 1 HD Leverkusen’s dream of a successful Clash with Fiorentina in Europa League beIN SPORTS 11 HD European run after more than a decade. “Obviously being eliminated on penal- Besiktas v Club Brugge 23:05 ties has a bit to do with nerves,” said coach MILAN: At least one Italian team will reach the behind Schuerrle and is calling for patience, say- FORTRESS SEVILLA beIN SPORTS 3 HD Schmidt. “It would have been easier taking Europa League quarterfinals today, with Roma ing “it will come.” But Schuerrle got to play only Defending champion Sevilla will be looking beIN SPORTS 2 HD penalties in our own stadium.” hosting Fiorentina and looking for a distraction in the last few minutes in Sunday’s 3-0 win over to carry its Spanish league momentum into the from its domestic woes. Freiburg. match with Villarreal after beating Elche 3-0 on Ajax v Dnipro 23:05 “The fans’ noise maybe made my players a bit more nervous. Hakan should write off Roma had started the year battling with Many are recalling the difficult time Kevin de Sunday. beIN SPORTS 1 HD his penalty because the team put up a Juventus for the Serie A title but has fallen 14 Bruyne had after arriving in Wolfsburg, also from Sevilla, which has a 3-1 advantage from the beIN SPORTS 11 HD great fight.” points behind the defending champions after Chelsea. Now, he is one of the league’s most first leg against Villarreal, is fifth in the Spanish Inter v Wolfsburg 23:05 With Bayern Munich awaiting in the losing to Sampdoria 2-0. valuable players, with nine goals and 17 assists. league, one place above Villarreal. Sevilla has A crucial away goal in a 1-1 draw in Florence beIN SPORTS 3 HD German Cup quarter-finals and Schalke 04 won 10 and lost none of the 14 league games it in the league on Saturday, Leverkusen have in the Europa League gives Roma a slender WILL INEXPERIENCE TELL? has played at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan beIN SPORTS 2 HD enough big games ahead to make amends advantage in the second leg, but Fiorentina has Although Torino’s victory over Athletic Bilbao Stadium this season. for their European exit. —Reuters already defeated Roma in a knockout competi- in the last round made people sit up and take “When you’re winning games you can correct tion in the capital this season - 2-0 in the Italian note, it won’t be easy for the Italian team to go any errors you make in your game with more Cup quarterfinals. any further after losing to Zenit St. Petersburg 2- willingness and confidence,” said Sevilla forward Inter Milan, Torino and Napoli are the other 0 in the first leg. Torino is unbeaten in 10 Carlos Bacca, who has scored 40 goals for the ‘Snubbed’ Monaco Italian teams in the competition, with the latter European home games but Zenit has won all team since joining in 2013. “It is important to the only Serie A team to win its first leg - 3-1 three of its Europa League matches without con- make yourself strong at home, where you make over Dynamo Moscow. Here are some things to ceding since moving into the competition from others respect you.” had last laugh know about Thursday’s matches in the Europa the Champions League. League: The coaches on each side have very different levels of European experience. Zenit coach RESTRICTED CROWD PARIS: AS Monaco had the last laugh in “Arsenal thought they had qualified SCHUERRLE FLOP? Andre Villas-Boas won the Europa League with The second leg between Dynamo Kiev and their Champions League last 16 tie against already. I think we deserved it.” Having lost Andre Schuerrle arrived in Wolfsburg as a FC Porto in 2011 and has also managed Chelsea Everton will be played in front of a restricted Arsenal on Tuesday, the Ligue 1 side surviv- two influential players last summer, World Cup winner and the most expensive sign- and Tottenham in UEFA competition, while crowd after the Ukrainian club was punished for ing a shaky second leg performance to Monaco shifted to a more cautious ing in the club’s history at an estimated 32 mil- Giampiero Ventura is in his first campaign in crowd trouble at the Olympic Stadium in a previ- eliminate a team they felt had shown them approach this season. lion euros ($34 million). So far, he’s been largely a Europe - at the age of 67. ous round. little respect. Colombian stars James Rodriguez and flop. The German forward had a promising start “Our fans give us hope for Thursday’s match, Part of the stadium in Kiev will be closed for Monaco beat Arsenal 3-1 in London Radamel Falcao left for Real Madrid and with two assists in his first match after leaving with their support we can do it,” Torino defender the match, which Everton goes into with a 2-1 three weeks ago before losing 2-0 at Louis Manchester United respectively but Chelsea, but since then, his form has been dip- Pontus Jansson said. “You can recover from two lead. Everton has had a difficult season, but is II, results that saw them progress to the last Monaco instead relied on a steely defence ping. goals down. showing signs of improvement after following eight of the competition for the first time and a bunch of hungry youngsters to Schuerrle was pulled at halftime in the 3-1 “Before the return match against Athletic up the first-leg win over Dynamo by beating since 2004 on the away goals rule. remain competitive. win over Inter in the home leg, with Wolfsburg’s Bilbao everyone though it would be difficult for Newcastle 3-0 in the Premier League to move After the game, Monaco coach On Tuesday, Monaco’s back four had just game improving after his departure. us to go through, too, and we managed it, so we clear of relegation trouble. Dynamo is at the top Leonardo Jardim did not offer his hand to 18 Champions League appearances Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking said he is have to be optimistic.” of the Ukrainian league. —AP Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger, the between them but made up for their lack Portuguese saying the Frenchman had of experience with controlled aggression. done the same following the first leg at the “We’re always focused, we’re always Emirates. “I think it was disrespectful. Right aggressive. We don’t give up on anything. Mueller: Bayern are best team in last eight now we’re celebrating and we think Arsenal We play at 120 percent every game, and it did not show enough respect during the always pays off,” 25-year-old Aymen BERLIN: Bayern Munich will be the first leg,” Jardim said. Abdennour, who formed a central defen- team to beat when the draw for the “In the first leg when I wanted to thank sive partnership with 20-year-old Wallace, Champions League’s quarter-finals is Arsene and shake his hand..