Benfica and Leverkusen Aim for Fourth Victory
European clubs seek to win in the fourth round of the competition
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
Dubai (AFP) – Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen are looking to maintain their ideal starts in the UEFA Europa League when they play their fourth-round matches today, while Milan and Juventus aim 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 Ferencváros, and Greek 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 defeats.
Benfica appear well-placed to extend their winning streak as they host Polish side Lech Poznan, one of eight clubs yet to secure a victory.
Like Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen are aiming to preserve their perfect record in the competition when they welcome French side Marseille, one of four clubs yet to earn a single point.
However, Leverkusen have shown signs of a recent slump, conceding 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.
Conversely, Marseille are enjoying a strong run domestically, with their 2-0 win over Toulouse marking their fourth consecutive league victory. Yet, these positive results have been accompanied by defeats in the Europa League, where they have lost all three of their matches.
Bournemouth hope to continue their surprise package by traveling to face Czech side Sparta Prague, who are struggling and have failed to score in four of their last five matches across all competitions.
Milan are seeking to improve their results, but their task will not be easy against Ferencváros in the first-ever meeting between the two clubs.
Milan regained their domestic dominance late last week with a 3-1 derby victory over rivals Inter, a win that returned them to the mix for a top-four finish.
The club has suffered only one defeat in their first 10 Serie A matches this season, and they are looking to transfer that momentum to the Europa League, where they have lost two of three matches, including a 2-0 home defeat to Benfica.
In contrast, Ferencváros are progressing more smoothly and are close to achieving four consecutive victories in a European competition for the first time since the 1967-68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, when they won six straight matches before reaching the final.
For their part, Juventus hope to bounce back from their draw with Rennes when they travel to face Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, who are having a decent campaign with six points and boast a strong home record, having gone 17 consecutive European home matches without defeat.
