Liverpool discover Europa League opponents as path to Dublin final becomes clear
Liverpool remain on course for a potential Europa League final against Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen after their route to the final in Dublin became clear.
The two favourites have been kept apart as the draw for the remaining stages of the competition was completed in Nyon, Switzerland on Friday afternoon.
The Reds - who thumped Sparta Prague 11-2 on aggregate in the round of 16 - have been paired with Serie A side Atalanta in the quarter-final stage, with the first leg taking place at Anfield on April 11 before the return in Italy on April 18.
PAUL GORST: Liverpool have just found out the truth about Europa League and there's only one logical conclusion
IAN DOYLE: Jurgen Klopp has already given the game away about Liverpool's next young star
And should Jurgen Klopp's men progress, they will take on either Benfica or Marseille in the semi-finals, with the first game away from home.
Liverpool played Atalanta in the Champions League group stage in 2020/21 when both games were played behind closed doors . Diogo Jota scored a hat-trick when the Reds won 5-0 in Bergamo, although they were beaten 2-0 at Anfield.
Atalanta currently stand sixth in Serie A and overcame Sporting Lisbon in the last round, with the Portuguese side coached by Ruben Amorim, among the front-runners to replace the outgoing Klopp as Liverpool boss in the summer.
The favourite is Leverkusen boss Alonso, who spent five years at Anfield as a player. Leverkusen remain unbeaten this season having coming from 2-0 down to beat Qarabag 3-2 on Thursday evening to progress to the Europa League last eight 5-4 on aggregate.
FULL EUROPA LEAGUE DRAW. QUARTER-FINALS: AC Milan v Roma, Liverpool v Atalanta, Bayer Leverkusen v West Ham, Benfica v Marseille. SEMI-FINALS:
Read on liverpoolecho.co.uk
