Upsets at Anfield and San Siro: Liverpool and AC Milan Falter in Europa League Quarter-finals
In a dramatic night of UEFA Europa League action, both Liverpool and AC Milan faced unexpected defeats at home in the first leg of the quarter-finals.
At Anfield, Liverpool hosted Atalanta Bergamo in what was anticipated to be a challenging encounter for the Reds.
Despite their dominance in possession and numerous goal-scoring opportunities, Liverpool was unable to capitalize.
The breakthrough came for Atalanta just before halftime when Pasalic assisted Zappacosta, whose precise strike beat Kelleher, giving Atalanta a 1-0 lead at the break.
The second half saw Liverpool pushing forward aggressively, but Atalanta’s defense held firm, frustrating the home side.
At the hour mark, Scamacca capitalized on a De Ketelaere cross to extend Atalanta’s lead to 2-0.
Liverpool’s woes were compounded when Pasalic added a third goal in the 83rd minute, sealing a surprising 3-0 victory for Atalanta.
This defeat ended Liverpool’s unbeaten streak at Anfield, dating back to February 2023.
Meanwhile, at San Siro, AC Milan faced AS Roma in a heated all-Italian clash. Roma struck early with Mancini heading in a corner from Dybala in the 17th minute, giving them a 1-0 lead going into halftime.
In the second half, AC Milan pressed relentlessly but couldn’t break through Roma’s defense.
Despite controlling possession and creating chances, Milan couldn’t find the equalizer, resulting in a 1-0 victory for Roma.
The results leave both Liverpool and AC Milan with uphill battles in the second leg.
Liverpool will travel to Stadio Azzurri d’Italia for a rematch against Atalanta, aiming to overturn the deficit.
AC Milan, on the other hand, will host Roma at the Stadio Olimpico for the return leg, hoping to bounce back from their home defeat.
