Former Hannover player Hiroki Sakai (l.) scored the fifth and final goal on the night. - © © gettyimages / Valerio Pennicino
Former Hannover player Hiroki Sakai (l.) scored the fifth and final goal on the night. - © © gettyimages / Valerio Pennicino

RB Leipzig fall short of Europa League semi-finals after Marseille defeat

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RB Leipzig have bowed out of the UEFA Europa League at the quarter-final stage after losing 5-3 on aggregate to Marseille following a wild second leg in the south of France on Thursday.

Marseille 5-2 RB Leipzig (5-3 on agg.)

Goals: 0-1 Bruma (2’), 1-1 Ilsanker (o.g. 6’), 2-1 Sarr (9’), 3-1 Thauvin (38’), 3-2 Augustin (55’), 4-2 Payet (60’), 5-2 Sakai (90+4’)

Leipzig left Emil Forsberg, Willi Orban and last week’s goalscorer Timo Werner on the bench as they sought to build on a 1-0 lead from the first leg. They made a dream start when some slick passing between Naby Keita and Jean-Kevin Augustin gave Bruma the chance to sweep home from the left side of the box after only 70 seconds. The visitors’ joy was short-lived, however, as Stefan Ilsanker was unfortunate to score an own goal from a corner. Three minutes later, Marseille stormed up the other end from a Leipzig set piece and, though Peter Gulacsi made a brilliant double save to deny Morgan Sanson, Bouna Sarr netted at the third attempt to make it 2-1 on the night inside 10 minutes. Soon afterwards Dimitri Payet had a stunning goal chalked off for a foul, but Marseille were not to be denied and Florian Thauvin turned home from a free-kick to give the home side the aggregate lead.

Line-ups

Gulacsi made another great double stop from Kostas Mitroglou and Jordan Amavi right after half-time to keep Leipzig in the tie, and the visitors soon made Marseille rue those misses. Keita produced some brilliant skill to tee up Augustin, and the former Paris Saint-Germain forward curled home to put Leipzig ahead on away goals. Once again, though, Leipzig could not hold on as Payet burst through five minutes later to give Marseille a 4-2 lead and put them back in front on aggregate. Leipzig rallied again but, with their goalkeeper forward for an injury-time corner, Marseille cleared and former Hannover defender Hiroki Sakai scored into an empty net to bring Leipzig’s memorable first European campaign to an end.

Marseille: Pele - Sakai, Kamara, Gustavo, Amavi - Sanson, Lopez - Payet (c) (Anguissa 82'), Thauvin (Ocampos 63'), Sarr (Rami 29') - Mitroglou​
Unused subs: Escales, Njie, Sertic, Germain
Absentees: Mandanda (thigh), Rami (calf), Rolando (Achilles)
Coach: Rudi Garcia

Leipzig: Gulacsi - Ilsanker, Konate, Upamecano (Bernardo 66'), Klostermann - Keita, Demme (c) (Forsberg 54'), Kampl, Bruma - Augustin, Sabitzer (Poulsen 61')
Unused subs: Mvogo, Orban, Werner, Kaiser
Absentees: Laimer (thigh), Halstenberg (knee ligaments), Lookman (ineligible)
Coach: Ralph Hasenhüttl

Watch: Werner has been making waves in the Bundesliga since the age of 17

Match stats

    Peter Gulacsi is an ever-present for Leipzig this season, playing in all 11 of their European fixtures.Leipzig had 54 percent possession but Marseille had 15 attempts on goal to the visitors’ seven.Werner finished with seven goals to his name in Europe; his first five all came away from home.Leipzig were the only side in the last eight never to have appeared in a European final (this is their first ever season in Europe).OM have beaten German opponents only five times in 17 games, four of those wins coming at home.Marseille are unbeaten at home in Europe this season, winning seven and drawing the other 0-0; they have kept four clean sheets at the Velodrome.

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