Frankfurt draw Benfica in quarterfinals
March 15, 2019
Eintracht Frankfurt, the last German team in European competition, are to face Benfica in the Europa League quarterfinals.
Frankfurt defeated Inter Milan 1-0 on Thursday to reach this stage in the competition, the first time they have done so since the 1994-95 season when the tournament was still called the UEFA Cup.
It was a tough week for German sides on the European stage this week, with Bayern Munich and Schalke getting knocked out of the Champions League. Of the seven German teams that qualified for European competition, Frankfurt are the only team still remaining.
A big game for Jovic
Adi Hütter's team, who are yet to taste defeat in 10 games in the Europa League this season, can be fairly pleased with the draw, having managed to avoid Premiere League giants Chelsea and Arsenal.
The tie will also be interesting for the Eagles' top goalscorer Luka Jovic, who is currently on loan from the Portuguese club. The 21-year-old striker has 22 goals in all competitions so far this season and fired home the winner to take Frankfurt past Inter Milan.
Jovic joined Benfica from Cyprian club Apollon, a team Frankfurt faced earlier in the competition, in February 2016. He scored 4 goals in 18 appearances over a year and a half for the Portuguese club before he was shipped to Frankfurt on a two-year loan agreement in 2017.
Benfica's better record
Frankfurt's only European triumph in their 120-year came in UEFA Cup in 1980. They also finished runners-up in the European Cup in 1960.
In comparison, their opponents have appeared in the Europa League finals twice in recent years. Benfica, who have won the Portuguese Primeira Liga a record 36 times, lost to Chelsea in 2013 and Sevilla in 2014.
Frankfurt will play the first leg away at Benfica's Estádio da Luz stadium in Lisbon on April 11, before facing them at home a week later on April 18.
The winner of the tie will go on to face either Chelsea or Slavia Prague in the semifinals in May.
English sides face off in the Champions League
With Premier League outfits making up half of the Champions League quarterfinal field, two of them were bound to face one another.
That's exactly what happened as Manchester City, who dismantled Schalke in the last 16, was paired with London-based side Tottenham in Friday's quarterfinal draw.
Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool, who eliminated Bayern Munich on Wednesday, will face Portuguese champions Porto while Manchester United will play Barcelona.
Ajax, the Amsterdam-based side that eliminated three-time defending champions Real Madrid in the last 16, has another tough test in the quarterfinals as they take on perennial Italian champions Juventus.