FC Barcelona, favorite for the title in the Europa League, was eliminated by surprise this Thursday in the quarterfinals after losing 3-2 at home against Eintracht Frankfurt, with whom they had drawn 1-1 in the first leg in Germany.
The team from the German financial capital, which will play in the semifinals against the English West Ham, left Barça very injured in the first half thanks to the claws of the Serbian Filip Kostic (minute 4, penalty) and the Colombian Rafael Santos Borré (36 ).
In the second half, Kostic (67) extended his team’s tally and in added time Sergio Busquets (90+1) and the Dutchman Memphis Depay (90+11 penalty) cut short, unable to complete the comeback.
After the eliminations in previous rounds of Sevilla, Betis and Real Sociedad, The Europa League remains this course without clubs from Spainthe country that has made one of its representatives champion in eight of the previous twelve editions of this tournament.
Therefore, there will be no Spanish team in the final on May 18, which will be played at the Sánchez Pizjuán stadium in Seville.
With this goodbye, Barça now only has the Spanish LaLiga as an option to save the season. He is second in that championship, but he has the leader Real Madrid very far, 12 pointsso he seems more focused on securing a Top 4 spot and qualifying for the upcoming Champions League.
season of disenchantment
Barça’s European journey this season has been marked by disappointment.
He started in the Champions League and did not get his pass to the round of 16, falling behind Bayern Munich and Benfica.
He then went on to play the Europa League as a consolation, where he eliminated Napoli and Galatasaraybefore this tie against Eintracht.
In six home games this season in European competitions, Barcelona barely won one (Dinamo kyiv 1-0, in the Champions League), which ended up being fatal.
The disappointment has been enormous for a Barça that seemed to be in a great moment, with a streak of fifteen games in a row without losing and seven consecutive wins. Now the euphoria stops short. (D)
Source: Eluniverso
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