Europa League Quarter Finals: African Superstars Battling Each Other for Semi Finals Ticket

• The UEFA Europa League quarter-final fixtures will kick off on Thursday, April 11
• The eight teams left will compete for a place in the semi-finals of the tournament
• Sports Brief takes a look at several African players facing each other in this round

The UEFA Europa League quarter-final fixtures will kick off on Thursday, April 11, with the remaining teams fighting for a place in the competition's semi-finals.

One of the favourites, Liverpool, will face Serie A side Atalanta, while Benfica will battle Olympique Marseille for a spot in the next round.

The most talked-about tie of the round is between Italian giants AC Milan and AS Roma.

West Ham won the Europa Conference League last season and will face an unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen side in the last eight.

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Ahead of the Europa League quarter-finals, Sports Brief examines African players battling for a place in the semi-finals.

Africans facing each other in UEL quarter-finals

1. Mohamed Salah vs Ademola Lookman

Salah will welcome Nigerian winger Lookman to Anfield on Thursday evening when Liverpool plays Atalanta in the first leg of the last eight.

The Egyptian star hopes to give his team an advantage before they travel to Italy for the second leg next week.

Salah's Liverpool are favourites to win the tie, but Lookman's form with Atalanta cannot be shrugged off as they could cause the Merseyside Reds some problems.

2. Samuel Chukwueze vs Evan Ndicka

Super Eagles star Chukwueze will want revenge after losing the 2023 African Cup of Nations final to Ivorian defender Ndicka in February as their clubs face each other in the quarter-finals.

Roma have been doing well under their new boss, Danielle De Rossi, but on Thursday, they will face a rejuvenated Stefano Pioli's Milan.

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3. Victor Boniface, Nathan Tella, Odilon Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba, Amine Adli vs Mohammed Kudus, Maxwel Cornet, Nayef Aguerd

The quarter-final clash between Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham United has the most Africans facing each other in the round.

The Bundesliga outfits have many Africans in their ranks, with Boniface, Tella, Kossounou, Tapsoba, and Adli all making an impact in their unbeaten run under Xabi Alonso this season.

Despite their excellent form in all competitions, they face a huge task in the Europa League as they battle the Hammers for a place in the semi-finals.

David Moyes's side is dependent on the brilliance of Ghanaian international Kudus and the defensive abilities of Moroccan star Aguerd.

Boniface declared fit for West Ham clash

Sports Brief earlier reported on Boniface being available for West Ham clash in the Europa League on Thursday.

According to Punch NG, Boniface and Kudus were both missing due to injury when the Super Eagles defeated Ghana 2-1 in an international friendly in Morocco in March, but they are set to face off this time around.