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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winning goal for Barcelona to secure a 2-1 victory over Galatasaray yesterday and send the struggling European powerhouse into the quarterfinals of the Europa League.
Aubameyang netted from close range four minutes into the second half as Barcelona came from a goal down to maintain their chances of ending the season with a trophy.
The Spanish giants, who are playing Europe’s second-tier competition after failing to advance to the Champions League knockout stages for the first time since 2004, were held to a 0-0 draw at home by the Turkish club in the first leg last week.
Rangers reached the quarterfinals on a 4-2 aggregate score despite losing 2-1 to Red Star at Belgrade. Atalanta also advanced 4-2 on aggregate after winning 1-0 at Bayer Leverkusen while Portuguese club Braga progressed after holding Monaco 1-1.
In the inaugural Europa Conference League, Leicester advanced 3-2 on aggregate despite a 2-1 away loss to Rennes.
Marseille, PSV, and Bodø/Glimt also made the quarterfinals.
EUROPA LEAGUE
Barcelona, who also needed an away win at Napoli just to reach the round of 16, looked to be in trouble when Marcão headed in the opener for Galatasaray off Alexandru Cicâldău’s corner in the 28th minute.
But 19-year-old Pedri went past two defenders both lunging to stop an expected shot before equalising with a composed low finish past goalkeeper Iñaki Peña nine minutes later.
Aubameyang’s header hit the crossbar in the first-half injury time but was in the right place to turn in a squared pass from Frenkie de Jong, who had collected the rebound after a good save by Peña.
Midfielder Mirko Ivanić gave Red Star some hope with a first-half goal before Ryan Kent’s deflected shot found the back of the net to restore a three-goal aggregate advantage for Rangers.
El Fardou Ben Nabouhane gave Red Star the consolation win on the night by converting a penalty in injury time.
Braga held a 2-0 advantage after the first leg and Abel Ruiz stretched it to three in Monaco before Axel Disasi equalised in the final minute.
Substitute Jeremie Boga scored the lone goal in second-half stoppage time to secure Atalanta’s 1-0 win at Leverkusen.
Leipzig advanced automatically as their opponents, Spartak Moscow, are among Russian clubs expelled from international competitions following the country’s military invasion of Ukraine.
– AP
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