Youth League: Leverkusen and Brest Reach Quarterfinals

Leverkusen Wins Big, Brest Advances on Away Goals

Bayer Leverkusen and Stade Brestois have secured their places in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Youth League after exciting second-leg matches on Wednesday. Leverkusen thrashed Club Brugge 4-0 at the BayArena, while Brest edged out Trabzonspor 2-1 in Turkey to advance on away goals.

Leverkusen, who had won the first leg 2-1 in Belgium, were in a strong position to progress. They took control of the match from the early stages and created several chances. Striker Zidan Sertdemir opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a clinical finish, and midfielder Iker Bravo doubled the lead just before halftime with a powerful shot from outside the box.

The German side continued to dominate after the break, and Sertdemir grabbed his second goal of the night in the 65th minute with a header from close range. Defender Joel Abu Hanna rounded off the scoring with a well-placed free-kick in the 80th minute.

Brest, meanwhile, faced a more difficult task after losing the first leg 1-0 at home. They needed to score at least twice in Trabzon, and they got off to a good start when midfielder Mathias Lage opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a cool finish. The Turkish side equalized through striker Kerem Baykus in the 35th minute, but Brest restored their lead just before halftime when forward Lenny Pirringuel scored with a header.

The second half was a tense affair, with both teams having chances to score. However, Brest held on to their slender advantage and secured their place in the last eight.

Quarterfinal Draw

The draw for the quarterfinals of the UEFA Youth League will be held on Friday, April 7th. Leverkusen and Brest will be joined by the other six group winners and the two best-placed runners-up.

The quarterfinals will be played on April 12th and 13th, with the semifinals taking place on April 26th and 27th. The final will be played on May 29th at the Colovray Stadium in Nyon, Switzerland.