Thursday night ended in disappointment for two English teams, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United playing away in the Europa League.
Manchester United lost to Liverpool 2-0 at Anfield in their first meeting in Europe with goals from Daniel Sturridge and Roberto Firmino.
The hosts made the breakthrough in the first half when Daniel Sturridge beat David De Gea from the penalty spot after Nathaniel Clyne was brought down by Memphis Depay.
Liverpool midfielders Adam Lallana and Philippe Coutinho wasted great opportunities to double the home side’s lead before half-time.
However, Roberto Firmino handed the Reds a commanding 2-0 first-leg lead at Anfield after a close-range finish with 17 minutes remaining of the first leg.
Tottenham were shocked by in-form Borrusia Dortmund 3-0 in Germany.
Manchester United and Arsenal target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang gave the Germans a first-half lead. Marco Reus hit two after the break to make the Germans the favourites to clinch a place in the quarter-finals in second leg.
In other Europa League round of 16 first leg matches played on Thursday night, Swiss Side Basel played a goalless draw with Spanish club Sevilla while Turkish giants Fenerbache beat Portugal’s Sporting Braga 1-0.
Ukrainian power house Shakhtar Donetsk beat Anderlecht of Belgium 3-1 and Athletic Bilbao beat Valencia 1-0 in an all-Spanish encounter,
Sparta Prague played a 1-1 draw with Ogenyi Onazi’s Lazio while Villareal beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 at the Estadio El Madrigal.
