Barcelona takes Frankfurt test to reach Europa League semis

Recovering Spanish giant Barcelona will have UEFA Europa League semifinals on its mind as the Catalans welcome Eintracht Frankfurt for the quarterfinal second leg Thursday.

Barcelona needed a second-half Ferran Torres strike to come from behind and draw 1-1 with Eintracht in Germany in the first leg of the quarterfinal last week, leaving the tie open going into the return.

Barca has won just once at home in Europe this season, edging Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 during its failed Champions League group-stage campaign.

Since dropping into the Europa League – the first time it has taken part in the second-tier European competition since 2004 – it has drawn at home to both Napoli and Galatasaray before getting the job done in the return.

There may be no away goals advantage anymore, but the current form makes Barcelona the clear favorite to advance to the last four with Xavi Hernandez's team unbeaten in 15 games, a run that has lifted it back up to second in La Liga.

That means it is unlikely to have to win the Europa League to return to the Champions League next season, but it still wants to finish the season with silverware and is eyeing a place in the final in Seville on May 18.

Eintracht is in mid-table in the Bundesliga and has not won any of its last five matches but it has lost only once to Spanish opposition – against Real Madrid in the 1960 European Cup final.

Whoever emerges victorious at the Camp Nou will play either Lyon or West Ham United in the last four.

Those sides meet in France with their quarterfinal tie also finely poised after a 1-1 draw in London, where West Ham held out despite having Aaron Cresswell sent off in the first half.

"We didn't play well and we can only play much better next week," said West Ham manager David Moyes after the first leg.

It will be without French international defender Kurt Zouma due to injury for the return against a Lyon side struggling domestically and who has fitness worries of its own.

Goalkeeper Anthony Lopes and midfield duo Houssem Aouar and Tanguy Ndombele all came off injured playing at the weekend and Lyon would be seriously weakened without that trio.

On the other side of the draw, Rangers must overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit as they play host to Braga at Ibrox, and the winner of that tie will face either Atalanta or RB Leipzig in the semifinals.

Leicester's Çağlar Söyüncü during training, Seagrave, England, April 13, 2022. (Reuters Photo)

Tension

Meanwhile, Leicester City goes to the Netherlands to face PSV Eindhoven in the Europa Conference League hoping to progress to the first European semifinal in its history.

The teams drew 0-0 in England last week and the winner will face either Roma or Bodo/Glimt.

Jose Mourinho's side lost 2-1 in Norway last week meaning it has not beaten Bodo/Glimt in three attempts this season.

That match was marred at the end by a scuffle involving Bodo/Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen and Roma goalkeeping coach Nuno Santos. Both men have been suspended for what could be a tense return leg.

Marseille fans are not expected to travel to Greece for their team's game against PAOK after violence among supporters marred the first leg in France, which OM won 2-1.

Greek authorities called on UEFA to ban away supporters, although in any case, one leading Marseille fan group had already confirmed they would not attend the return.