Mohamed Salah orchestrated a spectacular performance, scoring one goal and assisting three others as Liverpool thrashed Sparta Prague 6-1 to advance into the Europa League quarterfinals.
The Reds, who had secured a 5-1 victory in the first leg, dominated from the start at Anfield, netting four goals within the opening 14 minutes to seal an emphatic 11-2 aggregate victory.
Sparta Prague struggled to cope with Liverpool’s relentless high pressure, with Salah leading the charge. Salah’s goal, his 20th of the season, saw him become the first Liverpool player to achieve at least 20 goals in seven consecutive seasons. Darwin Núñez, Bobby Clark, and Cody Gakpo also contributed to the early onslaught.
In other Europa League action, Patrik Schick’s late brace propelled Bayer Leverkusen to a dramatic 3-2 comeback win against 10-man Qarabag, securing their spot in the quarterfinals.
AC Milan cruised past Slavia Prague 3-1, while West Ham routed Freiburg 5-0 to progress. Despite a scare from Villarreal, Marseille held on to a 5-3 aggregate victory, while Roma and Atalanta also secured quarterfinal berths with victories over Brighton and Sporting respectively.
Benfica completed the lineup with a 1-0 win over Rangers. The stage is now set for the quarterfinal draw scheduled for Friday.
