Liverpool yesterday at the San Siro joined fellow English teams Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea in the last eight of the UEFA Champions League after sending Italian league leaders Internazionale crashing and spoiling centenary celebrations at the San Siro.
With the English quartet through to the Champions League quarterfinal after Liverpool’s win last night, second leg matches of the UEFA Cup take center stage tonight around Europe with three English clubs on the brink of exiting Europe’s second tier competition. At Goodison Park, Everton hosts Fiorentina trailing 2-0 from the first leg played last week in Florence.
The draws for the FA Cup semi-final was held yesterday with giant killers Barnsley set to continue their fairytale with a match against Championship side Cardiff City while West Bromwich-Albion, also of the Championship will take on the last Premier League club in the Cup Portsmouth.
England could have the complement of four representatives in the Champions League quarterfinal if Liverpool gets a favourable result from its second leg tie at the San Siro against Inter Milan. In the first leg at Anfield three weeks ago, late goals from Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard gave the Reds a healthy 2-0 advantage.
Oylmpique Lyon extended its lead on top of the Ligue 1 to six points after beating second placed Girondins Bordeaux 4-2 in the Gerland stadium. The leaders never looked like losing although the guests pushed Lyon all the way in the star match of the French league weekend. The win moves Lyon to 58 points while Bordeaux have 52 points in second spot.