Thank you for joining me. Here is the report from Lisbon.
Philippe Clement: “I am not happy. I think we were really close to rewriting happy against a team who have never lost a Europa League game at home. I am really proud of my team. We did all the right things, scored good goals and were unlucky with the goals we conceded.
“Every showed great character and gave everything to get this good result.”
Jacob Steinberg was in Germany for Freiburg 1-0 West Ham.
Tom Lawrence: “We dug deep but we had some chances that we should have done better with.
“We will give it our all at Ibrox. I don’t think they will like to come to Ibrox.”
Michael Owen “it looks unnatural but it is natural”. I think he is talking about the handball.
Europa Conference League full times
Dinamo Zagreb 2-0 Paok
Maccabi Haifa 3-4 Fiorentina
Servette 0-0 Viktoria Plzeň
Union Saint-Gilloise 0-3 Fenerbahce
Full time: Benfica 2-2 Rangers
A hard-fought result for Rangers. Should be a cracking second leg.
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: Di Maria flies into a challenge on Souttar. Somehow gets away without a booking.
Full time:
Marseille 4-0 Villarreal
Milan 4-2 Slavia Prague
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: I would think Rangers would take the draw.
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: Five minutes of added time in Lisbon.
Full time: Freiburg 1-0 West Ham
West Ham are made to pay for failing to take chances.
Freiburg 1-0 West Ham: NO PENALTY GIVEN AFTER FOUR MINUTES OF REVIEW!
Updated
Freiburg 1-0 West Ham: Still waiting … this is why VAR is all a bit shit. The ref is off to the monitor …
Freiburg 1-0 West Ham: Personally I would find it a very harsh decision to give it. Soucek knocks the ball up onto the defender’s hand. This is taking an age. Go look at the monitor, mate.
Freiburg 1-0 West Ham: THERE IS A VERY LATE CHECK FOR A PENALTY FOR HANDBALL. WEST HAM PENALTY?
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: Di Maria picks out an unmarked Otamendi with a corner but the centre back gets under the ball and heads over.
Freiburg 1-0 West Ham: Four minutes of injury time in which to find an equaliser …
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: The match is looking pretty open at the moment. There could be another goal in Lisbon soon …
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: Di Maria lifts the ball to Neres in the box but Goldson does well to get there first.
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: What Rangers need is fresh legs and Clement is preparing three sets. Jack, Roofe and McKinnon are being readied.
Updated
GOAL! Freiburg 1-0 West Ham (Gregortisch, 81)
Sallai shoots and Gregortisch taps home.
Updated
Benfica 2-2 Rangers: Benfica counter and Rafa Silva pulls back for Di Maria but his finish is a poor one.
GOAL! Benfica 2-2 Rangers (Goldson og, 67)
An unfortunate leveller.
Updated
Oooooh that’s nice from Auba.
That's lovely from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang! 👌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) March 7, 2024
Pepe Reina never stood a chance!#UEL pic.twitter.com/5SmsaJmBsg
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Ward-Prowse has a good chance on the edge of the box but needs to shoot with his left foot and cannot generate the power nor accuracy.
Benfica 1-2 Rangers: Leonardo is on for Cabral.
Updated
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Gregoritsch has a good chance but heads straight at Fabianski. Not a classic.
Marseille 4-0 Villarreal: GOAL! Aubameyang gets a second against the Spaniards who are down to 10.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Takes aim from 40 yards but his free-kick drifts wide.
Benfica 1-2 Rangers: Bah takes a touch inside the box and then leaps into the air somewhere near Lawrence’s outstretched leg. It is a comical dive. The referee and VAR once again laugh it off.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Bowen shows some nifty feet and cuts inside before taking aim for the far post but Atubolu pulls off a superb save.
Benfica 1-2 Rangers: Tavernier whips in a corner from the right but Benfica clear.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Paqueta has to do better. Kudus lifts a cross to the back post but the Brazilian heads up and over.
Updated
Benfica 1-2 Rangers: Once against Benfica are ramping up the pressure on the Rangers goal. It could be a tiring second half for the visitors.
“Neither side of the Prague derby will be encouraged by results so far today,” says Joe Pearson. “Sparta got hammered by Liverpool, and now Slavia are two goals and one man down at the half against Milan. Woe to the Czechs”
Benfica 1-2 Rangers: Neres has another fine chance but Tavernier throws himself at his feet to block.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: YELLOW CARD! Pacqueta flies into a challenge for no reason on the touchline nor is it his first poor challenge.
Benfica 1-2 Rangers: Can Rangers hold onto this scoreline? They are going to battle, that’s for sure.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Bowen lifts a cross to the back post for Pacqueta who waits for the ball to reach him but Doan gets back just in time.
The resulting corner is swung to Mavropanos who heads against the post. West Ham should be ahead.
Updated
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: A deep free-kick into the box sees Sallai tumble in the box in the vicinity of Coufal. Freiburg want a penalty but all they get is a booking for Sallai.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Sallai goes for the spectacular but his bicycle kick whacks into Soucek’s thigh resulting in the ball dribbling towards goal.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Kudus drops a shoulder and cuts inside but his shot is straight at the goalkeeper.
The drama was so late in Lisbon that we are back playing at the other matches …
Kári Tulinius emails: “Freiburg v West Ham has been a match between two counter-attacking teams that are very good in set-piece situations. This is a case of the immovable object meeting the immovable object. Not even the purists will have enjoyed that half of football.”
Andy Hunter’s report from Liverpool in Prague.
Europa Conference League half-time scores
Dinamo Zagreb 1-0 Paok
Maccabi Haifa 2-1 Fiorentina
Servette 0-0 Viktoria Plzeň
Union Saint-Gilloise 0-1 Fenerbahce
Europa League half-time scores
Benfica 1-2 Rangers
Marseille 3-0 Villarreal
Milan 3-1 Slavia Prague
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham
GOAL! Benfica 1-2 Rangers (Sterling, 45+4)
Sterling taps in at the back post after good work down the left.
Updated
GOAL! Benfica 1-1 Rangers (Di Maria, pen, 45+2)
Butland is booked for his delaying tactics but Di Maria scores from the spot.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: PENALTY! The corner catches Souttar on the arm. It flicks off his head from the corner but really it is not a penalty. Naturally, the referee has awarded it. A bit of a nonsense for me.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: There is a check for a handball for a penalty but frankly if it is award it would be hilarious. There is a lengthy discussion between officials and the referee goes to the monitor. I am not so sure …
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: A corner reaches Rafa Silva on the edge of the box, he lines up a strike as Yilmaz charges out to him to deflect the shot. The resulting corner is once again whipped to the front post and causes plenty of havoc before Butland claims.
The goalkeeper is forced into another save soon after when Neves pings a shot across goal. Rangers holding on here.
Lundstram is down with a head injury.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Down the other end Sterling gets past Aursnes and into the box. He tumbles over in front of the Benfica man and calls for a penalty but, like Di Maria, there is nowhere enough in it.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Di Maria does a lovely turn in the box and gets a shot away but there is no power in it. Goldson tries to block the shot leading to a clash with Di Maria who rolls around for no obvious reason. The fans think a penalty should be awarded but they are as deluded as Di Maria. The VAR has a quick look, chuckles to himself and rightly awards nothing.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: YELLOW CARD: Sildillia bashes into Alvarez to stop an attack and is carded.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Yilmaz wins a corner on the left. The Turk takes it but against it does not meet the first man. Rangers need to make more of these situations.
Milan 1-0 Slavia Prague: GOAL! Giroud makes the most of Slavia being down to 10 men after Diouf’s sending off.
Updated
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: It is pouring down in Lisbon!
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Dessers battles his way through to the Benfica midfield and defence. He reaches the edge of the area and the ball runs loose to Sterling who is scythed down. Tavernier lines it up … but hits the wall.
Marseille 2-0 Villarreal: GOAL! Mosquera puts the ball into the back of his own net. Propia Puerta!
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Nice work from Freiburg opens up West Ham but Höler fires the ball straight at Fabianski.
Down the other end Bowen has a good chance but makes poor contact on a Kudus cross and sends a shot wide.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: YELLOW CARD! Sterling overstretches to win the ball and catches Otamendi in the process. The centre-back is hilariously overdramatic. What a ludicrous individual Otamendi is.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Aursnes takes aim for goal but his shot is deflected wide. Another Di Maria corner is whipped into the front post but once again Rangers deal with it.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: All very even in Germany where the crowd is the most entertaining thing on show.
Updated
Marseille 1-0 Villarreal: GOAL! Veretout opens the scoring.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: The hosts are getting back on top once more in Lisbon. Cabral spins in the box but his shot is blocked by Yilmaz. The resulting corner is headed clear by Goldson.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Yilmaz shows Di Maria who is boss, blocking out his cross for a corner. The Argentinian sends the ball over everyone but Neres cannot make sufficient contact at the back post.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: A solid discussion in the commentary box about the beauty of knowing when to stand still as a football. David Silva was always great at this.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Neres goes down in the box under a challenge from Sterling. The Brazilian desperately thinks the non-foul merits a penalty but he is having a laugh.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: A superb double save from Butland keeps Rangers ahead. First blocking from Neres and then Cabral.
Yilmaz whips in a corner from the left but it does not get further than the front post as Benfica head clear.
Updated
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: Bowen whacks a cross along the six-yard line but the goalkeeper is there to catch before Kudus can get a touch on the ball.
Benfica 0-1 Rangers: Sterling intercepts a pass then gets whacked by Neres to earn Rangers a free-kick. Are Benfica a little rattled?
GOAL! Benfica 0-1 Rangers (Lawrence, 7)
After such a strong start from the hosts, it is Rangers who have the lead thanks to the former Manchester United man, heading home from 10 yards.
Updated
Peter Oh emails: “Is it just me or does ‘Servette - Viktoria Pilsen (Plzen)’ sound like someone behind a bar just placed a tall glass of golden suds and a napkin in front of you?”
I await someone giving me a pint.
Benfica 0-0 Rangers: Neres flashes a shot at goal but Butland does well to save. Benfica have a couple of corners in quick succession. Di Maria whips one towards goal but Lundstram heads clear.
Benfica 0-0 Rangers: The hosts are dominating the early period and putting Rangers under pressure. Clement’s side might need to increase the tempo here because Benfica are looking a little sharper.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: The Germans chuck a few crosses into the box in quick succession but Mavropanos is not worried about them, heading each one clear.
Benfica 0-0 Rangers: There are plenty of seats available in Lisbon. Maybe Rangers are not the draw they once were.
Freiburg 0-0 West Ham: It is a lively atmosphere in Germany. The hosts are trying to pass the ball around the back but it is an unsuccessful concept, leading to the goalkeeper kicking it out for a throw.
Updated
Kick off
The whistles do peep around the continent.
Ben Fisher on a quiet night in Amsterdam.
A difficult night for Brighton in Rome. Ed Aarons was there.
Philippe Clement: “I expect a storm, a reaction [from Benfica]. They have a lot of quality and they have never lost in the Europa League at home. It is a nice challenge for us to play against a team of that level.”
Liverpool defeated Sparta Prague 5-1 in Czech Republic. I think it is fair to say they are very much through to the next round. Klopp will make some changes next week for sure.
West Ham played Freiburg in the group stage winning both games, which is an indication that they have the Germans’ number. They must be bored of facing them.
Football finance is all the rage.
My only trip to the Estadio da Luz came when I was on holiday in Lisbon. There was no football on but they have a bar open in the stadium and you can have a pint overlooking the pitch. It was lovely on a hot day.
Jacob Steinberg on the Hammers (mainly Lucas Paqueta).
Starting lineups: Benfica v Rangers
Benfica: Trubin; Aursnes, António Silva, Otamendi, Bah; João Neves, Florentino; Di María, Rafa Silva, Neres; Cabral
Subs: Samuel S., André Gomes, Diogo Spencer, T. Araújo, Morato, A. Carreras, Kökcü, J. Mário, Tiago Gouveia, Rollheiser, M. Leonardo and Tengstedt
Rangers: Butland; Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Yilmaz; Lundstram, Diomande; Sterling, Fabio Silva, Lawrence; Dessers.
Subs: McCrorie, K. Wright, Jack, Roofe, Davies, Barisic, King, Raskin, McCausland, Yfeko, Fraser, McKinnon.
Starting lineups: Freiburg v West Ham
Freiburg: Atubolu, Sildillia, Ginter, Gulde, Günter, Höfler, Doan, Eggestein, Höler, Grifo, Sallai
Subs: Muller, Uphoff, Szalai, Weisshaupt, Keitel, Kubler, Adamu, Muslija, Philipp, Makengo, Rohl, Gregortisch
West Ham: Fabianski; Coufal, Mavropanos, Zouma, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez; Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Paqueta; Bowen
Subs: Areola, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Ings, Johnson, Phillips, Antonio, Mubama, Earthy, Anang, Orford, Casey
Preamble
After the fun of the early evening kick-offs, we head into the late night action. For those of a British persuasion the interest comes in Lisbon where Benfica host Rangers, while West Ham have travelled to Freiburg (again). Elsewhere, Marseille host Villarreal which should be a fun tie in the Europa League.
Benfica will be a good barometer for Rangers to find out where they stand on the continent. They have plenty of talented young players who will undoubtedly move in the years to come but with plenty of experience mixed among the tearaways. Ángel Di María and Nicolás Otamendi provide a little bit of Argentinian glitz and experience to the formula. They come into the match off the back of a 5-0 pummelling at Porto, so will be desperate to bounce back.
This is the business end of the European football calendar but the Europa Conference League is offering little to whet the appetite.
Here’s to a fun night.
8pm GMT kick offs:
Europa League
Benfica v Rangers
Marseille v Villarreal
Milan v Slavia Prague
Freiburg v West Ham
Europa Conference League
Dinamo Zagreb v Paok
Maccabi Haifa v Fiorentina
Servette v Viktoria Plzeň
Union Saint-Gilloise v Fenerbahce
Updated
