Italy's Atalanta secure Europa League semifinal berth despite losing 1-0 to Liverpool

By Can Erozden

Italian football club Atalanta qualified for the second-tier UEFA Europa League semifinals, despite a 1-0 home loss to England's Liverpool on Thursday.

Liverpool's Egyptian star Mohamed Salah scored an early goal from the penalty spot to give hope to his team in Bergamo. But it was a quite difficult task for the visitors as Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool were beaten 3-0 by Atalanta last week at Anfield.

Atalanta eliminated Liverpool to face French team Olympique Marseille in the semis, which will start on May 2.

"We won the game, and that was the reaction we wanted to show. It was difficult, and we knew it would be, but Atalanta deserve to go through, 100%," Klopp said.

"We are out, but I am happy with the game. We would have wished that we could have gone to Dublin, but that hasn't happened," the Liverpool boss added.

Atalanta head coach Gian Piero Gasperini told Italy's Sky Sport that they are "very happy" to be in the semifinals and did their best against Liverpool during the two matches.

"We eliminated a great coach and a great team. We put everything into the two matches – first and foremost, our heart," Gasperini said.

Atalanta, Germany's Bayer Leverkusen, Olympique Marseille and Italy's Roma reached the semifinals.

Leverkusen, who clinched their first-ever German league title last weekend, drew 1-1 at West Ham United in a quarterfinal match in London but won 3-1 on aggregate.

Roma beat AC Milan 2-1 to progress, and Olympique Marseille won 4-2 on penalties against Portugal's Benfica to advance to the semis.

The Europa League semifinals will be held on May 2 and 9.

Ireland's Dublin Arena will host the 2024 final on May 22.

- Europa League semifinals

Olympique Marseille - Atalanta

Roma - Bayer Leverkusen