Liverpool’s Europa League campaign ended at the scene of one of their greatest European triumphs as they lost 5-4 on penalties to Besiktas in the Ataturk Stadium on Thursday on a woeful night for British clubs.
Brendan Rodgers’ side were the highest-profile casualties of the last 32, where holders Sevilla came through a testing encounter at Borussia Moenchengladbach, winning 3-2 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate.
But in a sign that Italian teams may not be the dying force in Europe they are sometimes made out to be, AS Roma were joined in the last 16 by compatriots Inter Milan, Fiorentina, Torino and Napoli.
We were happy with the penalty takers and Dejan was confident. We’re obviously disappointed for him, because I felt in the game he played very well
Roma overcame crowd trouble and the temporary suspension of their match in Feyenoord to win 2-1 in a fiery atmosphere in Rotterdam and clinch a 3-2 success over the two legs.