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Monaco won their meeting once morest Leverkusen (3-2) on Thursday in the play-offs for the knockout stages of the Europa League, while Nantes held Juventus Turin to a defeat (1-1). For its part, Rennes lost (2-1) once morest Shakhtar Donetsk.
Monaco made the very good operation of the play-offs of accession to the knockout stages of the Europa League, by going to win 3-2 in added time, Thursday February 16, in Leverkusen, while Nantes brought back a superb draw 1-1 of his trip to Juventus.
Only of the three French teams entered, Rennes lost in Warsaw, once morest the Ukrainians of Shakhtar Donetsk (2-1).
In the big game of the evening, Barcelona and Manchester United parted ways in a 2-2 draw following putting on a show worthy of the Champions League. Sevilla FC, four times winner of the competition since 2015, for its part made the break once morest PSV Eindhoven by winning 3-0 at home.
. Monaco at the end of the effort
Monaco first opened the scoring with a gag goal, when Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky scored once morest his side under pressure from Breel Embolo (1-0, 9th).
The two teams then went blow for blow, with two goals from Leverkusen (Moussa Diaby 48th, Florian Wirtz 59th), and a few moments of great turbulence for Monaco. But the Principality’s players showed great character by equalizing (Krepin Diatta, 74′) and snatching the 3-2 victory in added time (Axel Disasi, 90+2).
. Uninspired Reindeer
Rennes, who played in Warsaw, where Shakhtar Donetsk play their European matches due to the war ravaging Ukraine, was jostled and can be happy to be still alive, only one goal behind.
Dmytro Kryskiv (11th) and Artem Bondarenko (45th + 1 from the penalty spot) first knocked out the uninspired Bretons in the first period. But Karl Toko Ekambi scored the goal of hope, his first in Red and Black (59th), since his transfer from Lyon.
It is however, for Rennes, a seventh defeat in 11 matches, in all competitions. The Rennais also lost Benjamin Bourigeaud, who will be suspended for the second leg following another yellow card.
. Wonderful people from Nantes
The Nantes, who arrived as outsiders in Turin to face Juventus of Angel Di Maria and Adrien Rabiot, have achieved a small feat, and have given themselves the right to dream before the return match.
Perhaps impressed by the opponent, the Canaries gave in from the 13th minute, when Dusan Vlahovic concluded a superb collective movement initiated by Di Maria (1-0).
But they gradually gained confidence, until their superb equalizer on the hour mark. After an 80-meter full-axis counterattack, Mostafa Mohamed very intelligently demarcated Ludovic Blas on his left, who scored a shot full of cold blood (1-1, 60th).
With AFP