PARIS – Liverpool and Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen are the standout contenders to go all the way in this season’s Europa League, with both teams this week heading east for last-16 ties they will be expected to win comfortably.
Jurgen Klopp’s Reds are one of three English teams still alive in the competition.
However, while Brighton and Hove Albion and West Ham United both face difficult last-16 ties, it would be a major surprise if Liverpool slipped up against Sparta Prague and missed out on the quarter-finals.
But nothing in football is certain, and former Red and Czech midfielder Patrik Berger believes that the capital club from his country will not compromise on their attack-minded philosophy.
“I think they are not going to change that much. They try to play,” he said on the Liverpool website ahead of the clash in Prague on March 7.
“Like Liverpool, they try to play with the goalkeeper. They put the ball on the floor and they try to build up from the goalkeeper to the defenders and keep the ball at their feet for as long as possible and then find a way to go forward.
“I think they are going to play their way, the same as Liverpool.”
The 50-year-old added: “I think that it is going to be a hard game for Liverpool in Prague but, in Europe, Liverpool are so strong at home with the fans... So I am expecting Liverpool to go through.”
Sparta are top of the Czech league and have had some fine results in Europe this season, qualifying from their group ahead of Real Betis and then eliminating Galatasaray in the play-offs.
Yet Liverpool are in fantastic form and still in contention to win a quadruple in Klopp’s final season at Anfield.
Having won the League Cup, the Reds are top of the English Premier League and also through to the last eight of the FA Cup.
The biggest danger for them heading to the Stadion Letna in Prague is that their minds may be on March 10’s league meeting with Manchester City, who sit a single point behind Liverpool.
Klopp may again choose the Europa League to give an opportunity to some of his exciting youngsters.
There is the prospect that the Reds could later cross paths with Leverkusen, who are enjoying a stunning campaign under former Liverpool midfielder Alonso.
Unbeaten all season, they are 10 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with 10 games left.
A first German title is their priority, but they remain in the German Cup and will be fully expected to see off Qarabag of Azerbaijan to reach the quarter-finals in Europe.
Leverkusen head to Baku for the second time this season for the first leg on March 7, having beaten Qarabag home and away in the group stage with a 6-1 aggregate scoreline.
Brighton, meanwhile, are in Italy to play AS Roma, who are enjoying a revival under Daniele de Rossi.
The first leg at the Stadio Olimpico will see de Rossi come up against his friend, Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi.
West Ham, who won last season’s Europa Conference League, are in Germany to face Freiburg – whom they already beat twice in the group stage. AFP
