Liverpool's hopes of winning the Europa League were left hanging by a thread after they lost at home to Atalanta in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Thursday, while Bayer Leverkusen beat West Ham United to extend their unbeaten record this season.
Liverpool are hoping to make this season's Europa League final in Dublin on May 22 their final game before Jurgen Klopp steps down as manager, but they face a monumental task to turn their last-eight tie around after a stunning Atalanta performance.
Liverpool, who started with Mohamed Salah and Dominik Szoboszlai among the substitutes, saw Harvey Elliott come agonisingly close to opening the scoring with a shot that hit the bar and struck the post on its way back out. Atalanta then took the lead seven minutes before half-time when Davide Zappacosta's low ball in from the right was finished off first-time by former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca.
The same player made it on the hour with a fine finish from Charles De Ketelaere's assist. Salah, who had come on at the start of the second half, then had a goal disallowed for offside before Atalanta made it with seven minutes left.
Caoimhin Kelleher spilled a shot by Ederson and Croatian midfielder Mario Pasalic, who once belonged to Chelsea but did not play a first-team game, followed in to score. The stunning victory for the side who sit sixth in Serie A ends Liverpool's game unbeaten run at home. In Germany, Bundesliga champions-elect Leverkusen made it 42 games without losing in any competition this season as they beat West Ham to seize control of their quarter-final tie. Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface both came off the bench to score late goals for Xabi Alonso's side, with the opener arriving in the 83rd minute and the second coming in injury time.
