The first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16 kicked off today with exciting matches across Europe. Azerbaijan's representative, Qarabag, faced a formidable opponent in their home stadium, the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in Baku.
The Aghdam club hosted the German powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen, currently leading the Bundesliga by a staggering 10 points. Leverkusen boasts an impressive unbeaten run of 34 games across all competitions, with 30 wins and only 4 draws under manager Xabi Alonso.
The match generated significant interest, with all available tickets selling out. A passionate crowd of 30,000 Qarabag fans roared on their team, while 400 Leverkusen supporters also travelled to Baku to create an electric atmosphere.
Interestingly, Qarabag and Bayer Leverkusen were already familiar foes, having faced off in the Europa League group stage. In their first encounter, Bayer dominated at home with a 5-1 victory. However, Qarabag secured a narrow 1-0 win in Baku. In the group stage, Bayer emerged as winners, while Qarabag finished as runners-up.
The captivating first leg ended in a tense 0-0 draw, leaving the tie wide open. The return match will be held on March 14th in Germany, where Leverkusen will aim to capitalize on their home advantage.
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