Beijing TimeIn the early morning of December 1st,Europa LeagueThe 5th round of the group stage of the Cup is all overLiverpoolAtlantaand Bayer Leverkusen locked the top spot in the group in advance and directly advanced to the round of 16. LiverpoolA 4-0 thrashing of Linz on this matchday showed excellent attacking quality and secured top spot in the group. Atlantawith PortugalSportsThe game ended in a 1-1 draw, and although they could not win all of them, they were still far ahead of the other teams in points. Bayer Leverkusen extended their unbeaten start to the season with a 2-0 win away at Hogan to make it five wins in a row. The outstanding performances of these three teams have made them one of the favourites to win the title.
AsChampions LeagueThe four-time champion, Ajax has been terrible this season. Both in the league and inEuropa LeagueIn the Cup, Ajax failed to show the strength of the past. In this round against Marseille, Ajax were stunnered. In the final moments of the second half, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoredPenalties, helping Marseille to a 4-3 win over Ajax. This is Ajax's fifth consecutive winless group stage, with only 2 points and missing out on the top two in the group one round ahead of schedule. Although they still had a chance to win their first game against AEK Athens in the final round, the back-to-back sluggish performances have disappointed the fans.
In addition to Ajax, 11 teams were eliminated early on the day, including Olympic Kos, AEK Athens, Aris, Graz Storm, Częstochowa, Linz, Panathinaikos, Maccabi Haifa, Servette, Sharif and Hogan. Although they have not been able to qualify for the round of 16, they have not been able to qualify for the round of 16 due toEuropa LeagueThe third-placed group could qualify for the Europa League knockout play-offs, so these teams still have a chance to stay in Europe.
Bayer Leverkusen in this seasonEuropa LeagueThe performance in the cup is eye-catching, defeating the opponent in five consecutive rounds, winning all of them, and becoming the only team to maintain a complete victory. In the match against Hogan, goals from Boniface and Schick helped the team win 2-0 and secure the top spot in the group one round ahead of schedule and advance directly to the knockout round of 16. The victory also made Leverkusen a 14-game winning streak in all competitions, setting a new all-time record. They areBundesligaHe also performed well on the field, winning eight games in a row. Bayer Leverkusen are in excellent form at the moment and the fans should expect them to be thereEuropa LeaguePerformance in the cup.
This roundEuropa LeagueCup matches,Champions LeagueFour-time champions Ajax were the biggest upset out early, while 11 teams were eliminated early. On the other hand,LiverpoolAtlantaand Bayer Leverkusen locked the top spot in the group ahead of schedule with outstanding performances and directly advanced to the knockout round of 16. It is worth mentioning that Bayer Leverkusen have shown strong form this season, winning all five consecutive rounds and setting a new team record. Overall, this timeEuropa LeagueThe result of the group stage of the Cup was quite unexpected, and it also made fans look forward to the next knockout round.
Personally, I think that no matter whatFootballIn competition or in life, the generation of underdogs is a common phenomenon. It is precisely because of the existence of the underdog that the game is more competitive and enjoyable. InEuropa LeagueIn the Cup, each team has the opportunity to prove their strength and worth. Ajax asChampions LeagueFour-time champion in a row, but this seasonEuropa LeagueIt's also a pity that the performance in the cup is terrible. Bayer Leverkusen's strong rise has made people look forward to their performance in the knockout rounds. Regardless of the outcome,FootballThe upsets in the game always bring us unexpected surprises and excitement.