Benfica and Leverkusen Secure Fourth Consecutive Win; Milan Seeks to Correct Course
Benfica and Leverkusen host their Europa League matches with perfect records, while Milan and Juventus aim to improve their performances.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Portuguese side Benfica and German club Bayer Leverkusen are aiming to maintain their ideal starts in the UEFA Europa League as they play their fourth-round matches today, while Italian teams AC Milan and Juventus hope to get back on track. Benfica and Leverkusen are among five clubs that have collected all nine points from their first three matches, alongside English side Bournemouth, Hungarian club Ferencváros, and Greek team Olympiacos, sitting two points clear of Juventus, who drew 2-2 with French visitors Rennes. Milan, meanwhile, has managed just three points from one win and two losses.
Benfica looks well-placed to extend their winning streak in the competition when they host 32nd-placed Polish side Lech Poznan, one of eight clubs yet to secure a victory. This marks the first time Benfica has won all three of their opening group-stage or league-phase matches in a European competition. The top eight teams in each group advance directly to the round of 16, while teams ranked ninth through 24th enter a playoff round to compete for the remaining eight spots.
Like Benfica, Leverkusen aims to preserve their perfect record when they host 34th-placed French club Marseille, one of four teams yet to earn any points. Leverkusen’s form has dipped in recent weeks, having conceded nine goals in their last three matches across all competitions (one win and two defeats) since their 2-0 victory over Greek side OFI Crete in the third round. Marseille, on the other hand, are enjoying a good run domestically, with their 2-0 win over Toulouse on Sunday marking their fourth consecutive league victory. However, these positive results have been accompanied by Europa League defeats, leaving Bruno Genesio’s side near the bottom of their group.
Bournemouth hope to continue their surprise package campaign when they travel to face Czech club Sparta Prague, who are struggling, having failed to score in four of their last five matches across all competitions. German manager Marco Rose appears to have found the ideal combination with Bournemouth.
Milan seek to improve their results, but their task will not be easy against Ferencváros in the first-ever meeting between the two sides. Milan regained their domestic dominance late last week with a 3-1 victory over rivals Inter in the “Derby della Madonnina,” a win that returned them to contention for a top-four finish. Meanwhile, Juventus look to bounce back from their draw with Rennes when they visit AZ Alkmaar, who have had a respectable run in the competition.
