Et is a reunion under the worst omens: Domenico Tedesco meets his former club Spartak Moscow with RB Leipzig in the round of 16 of the Europa League. That was the result of the draw on Friday in Nyon. Tedesco had worked at Spartak from October 2019 to the end of May 2021 before his engagement in Leipzig, which began last December. Tedesco emphasized at a press conference on Wednesday that he had a “sensational time” there, both athletically and personally.
“A lot of friendships were formed that are still going strong. We are still writing now, we are also writing in the last few days. I’m following it of course and I hope that a peaceful solution will come out in the end. That’s what I want.” That was before Russia invaded Ukraine.
Because of the war, the second leg, in which Moscow, as seeded group winners, actually has home rights, will not be kicked off in the Russian capital on March 17, but on neutral ground. UEFA had previously announced this. It was initially unclear where this will be. Also how the further processes for determining the venue are. The first leg is scheduled for March 10th at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.
Leverkusen and Frankfurt as group winners
The current fourth in the Bundesliga had saved himself in the Europa League as a group third in the Champions League. After a 2-2 draw at home against Real Sociedad San Sebastian, Tedesco’s team beat the Spaniards 3-1 in the intermediate round on Thursday evening.
“You surely know that I like and prefer to talk about football. Only about football,” Tedesco said at the press conference on Wednesday with a view to a possible match in the round of the top 16 against Spartak Moscow and the events in Ukraine: “I didn’t comment on many other topics. This topic in particular is something that interests me and that I follow. That is obvious.”
Bayer Leverkusen meanwhile meets Atalanta Bergamo, Eintracht Frankfurt was drawn to Leverkusen’s group opponents Betis Sevilla. Leverkusen and Frankfurt skipped the second round as group winners and will initially play away on March 10th. The second leg will take place a week later on March 17th. The final will take place in Seville on May 18th.
