The fourth round of the UEFA Europa League group stage is over.
Among the first half matches, the biggest attention of the fans undoubtedly focused on Group E. Although it was considered a group of death, the top two spots became clear after just four rounds.
The players of "Lyon" took a solid step towards the knockout stage. Their coach Bruno Genesio praised the opponent Liverpool's "Everton" before the match and expected a tough fight, but the English team collapsed in the second half. Bertrand Traore scored, Houssem Aouar doubled the lead, and after Morgan Schneiderlin's red card, Memphis Depay sealed the win.
In another game, Limassol's "Apollon" unexpectedly held Atalanta to a draw, with Josip Ilicic scoring from the penalty spot. However, Emilio Zalay equalized for the final result.
Now, "Atalanta" and "Lyon" have eight points each, while "Apollon" only has three, with minimal chances of progressing to the next stage. "Everton's" next two games will be just a formality.
In Group D, AEK Athens failed to beat AC Milan, one of the favorites of the tournament. The Italian team played a goalless draw against the Greek club, showing no superiority over their opponents.
Meanwhile, former Milan striker Carlos Bacca shone in Villarreal's ranks, scoring the opening goal against Prague's "Slavia," which the Spaniards defeated away. Towards the end of the match, Simon Deli scored an own goal, but Bacca's strike was crucial for Javi Calleja's team to remain at the top of Group A.
