Europa League Roundup: Liverpool destroyed by Atalanta, Leverkusen beat West Ham

• Liverpool lost at home to Italian side Atalanta
• Leverkusen thump West Ham in Germany
• Marseille, Benfica record victories in the first leg

Liverpool's hopes of winning the Europa League were left hanging by a thread after they lost 3-0 at home to Atalanta in the first leg of their quarter-final tie on Thursday, while Bayer Leverkusen beat West Ham United to extend their unbeaten record this season.

The Reds are hoping to make this season's Europa League final in Dublin on May 22 their final game before Jurgen Klopp steps down as manager, but they face a monumental task to turn their last-eight tie around after a stunning Atalanta performance.

Atalanta took the lead seven minutes before half-time when Davide Zappacosta's low ball in from the right was finished off first-time by former West Ham striker Gianluca Scamacca.

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The same player made it 2-0 on the hour with a fine finish from Charles De Ketelaere's assist.

Salah, who had come on at the start of the second half, then had a goal disallowed for offside before Atalanta made it 3-0 with seven minutes left.

The stunning victory for the side who sit sixth in Serie A ends Liverpool's 33-game unbeaten run at home.

Recent history suggests there is still hope for Klopp's side, as they won 5-0 away to Atalanta in Bergamo in the Champions League group stage in 2020/21, a campaign in which they also lost to the Italian side at Anfield.

Leverkusen beat West Ham

In Germany, Bundesliga champions-elect Leverkusen made it 42 games without losing in any competition this season as they beat West Ham 2-0 to seize control of their quarter-final tie.

Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface both came off the bench to score late goals for Xabi Alonso's side, with the opener arriving in the 83rd minute and the second coming in injury time.

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Roma pip Milan in San Siro

If Leverkusen finish the job against West Ham, they will advance to a semi-final against either AC Milan or Roma, who clashed at San Siro in the first leg of their quarter-final on Thursday.

Roma ran out 1-0 winners on the night away to their Serie A rivals thanks to Gianluca Mancini's 17th-minute header from a corner. Mancini had also scored the winner in the Rome derby against Lazio last weekend.

Benfica over Marseille's resilience

Thursday's other game saw Benfica beat Marseille 2-1 in Lisbon in the first leg of their quarter-final.

Goals by Rafa Silva and Angel Di Maria either side of the break put the Portuguese side firmly in command, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's goal midway through the second half gives Marseille hope for the return next week.

Aubameyang is the Europa League's all-time top scorer and has 10 goals in 10 games in the competition this season.

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Boniface scores first goal after injury comeback

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Victor Boniface scored his first goal after returning from injury to inspire Bayer Leverkusen to a first-leg victory over West Ham United in the Europa League quarter-final.

The Nigeria attacker, who was sidelined for almost four months due to an injury setback, netted late in jury time to double the German side's advantage.

Boniface started from the bench and was brought on with 15 minutes remaining to replace Patrik Schick.