There were some remarkable West Ham links in the Europa League results last night but our last 16 opponents are no clearer.
If anyone wanted to measure how far West Ham have come under David Moyes perhaps the scenario last night and next week is the perfect barometer.
Because everyone connected with West Ham got to sit back and relax – and will again next Thursday – as they watch some truly high class clubs battle it out for the right to face them in the Europa League last 16.
The last 32 ties pit the eight clubs dropping out of the Champions League against those who finished second in the Europa League group stages.
The first leg of the eight matches took place last night with the second legs next Thursday.
And all West Ham eyes were on last night’s action as it gave Hammers fans, players and of course manager David Moyes and his staff a good chance to assess teams they may face in the last 16 next month.
West Ham will get the long awaited answer to the question of who they will face in the last 16 when the draw is made by UEFA next Friday following the conclusion of the last 32 clashes.
There were some remarkable West Ham links in the Europa League results but possible last 16 opponents are no clearer with many of the ties still very much in the balance.
Some of the links are perhaps more tenuous than others but there promises to be a subplot to West Ham’s last 16 tie with a number of potential opponents.
Remarkable West Ham links in Europa League results but last 16 opponents no clearer
Porto took on Lazio in one of the matches. Former £35m West Ham man Felipe Anderson started up front for Lazio who are deemed the Hammers’s Italian sister club due to close ties between supporters born out a relationship forged – essentially – via a mutual love for Paolo Di Canio.
Ironically West Ham loaned Anderson to Porto last season but the spell proved disastrous for the Brazilian and he was allowed to rejoin Lazio in the summer.
Another major West Ham link in the game proved decisive in the shape of striker Toni Martinez. The former West Ham academy striker was released by the club after failing to get a real chance in the first team squad.
And Martinez scored both Porto goals as the hosts came from behind to win 2-1.
There was another major West Ham link in the tie involving Russian side Zenit up against Real Betis who are managed of course by former Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini.
If West Ham have done well under Pellegrini’s replacement Moyes, then what of Betis? The Spaniards are absolutely flying under the Chilean and are third in La Liga. They also have the upper hand of this tie after beating Zenit 3-2 away from home to leave a potential West Ham reunion with Pellegrini on the cards in the last 16.
There were also West Ham links in the game between Atalanta and Olympiacos.
The Hammers played Atalanta in pre-season at the London Stadium, beating them 2-0. West Ham also tried to sign Atalanta’s star striker Duvan Zapata on transfer deadline day but ended up missing out.
Zapata was unavailable for the Italians but they were still able to win 2-1 against Olympiacos, the former side of West Ham defender Arthur Masuaku.
There were more West Ham links when Red Bull Leipzig took on Real Sociedad. RB Leipzig are the club Moyes publicly stated he wanted West Ham to try and emulate when he returned to east London two years ago.
They were held to a 2-2 draw by Moyes’s former club Real Sociedad. And Spain international Mikel Oyarzabal, who was given his debut by Hammers boss Moyes, scored in the draw.
West Ham’s Europa League group stage opponents Dinamo Zagreb were in action. The Croatian side lost 3-1 away to four-time Europa League winners Sevilla with reported Moyes striker target Anthony Martial – who joined Sevilla on loan instead during the January window – scoring.
There was a tenuous West Ham link in Rangers’s brilliant 4-2 win at Borussia Dortmund too.
A quartet of reported Moyes targets were in action for Rangers. Aaron Ramsey made his Gers debut on loan from Juventus in the memorable victory.
And another midfielder long linked with a move to West Ham before joining the Ibrox club, John Lundstram, scored a beauty. Moyes gave Lundstram his professional debut at Everton. Striker Alfredo Morelos has been a reported longstanding West Ham target while just this week the Hammers were linked with Rangers defender Calvin Bassey (Football Insider).
With the away goals rule scrapped, nearly all the ties are still very much in the balance. So we can tune in for what promises to be a hugely exciting night next Thursday followed by the long-awaited draw the following day.
Ahead of the knockout stages, UEFA this week dangled a huge carrot for West Ham and co by pledging to give away thousands of free tickets to fans of clubs reaching the final.
West Ham are three ties away from making that a reality.
Exciting times.
More West Ham news:
West Ham get big boost as problems brew with Conte at Spurs.
Training ground pictures a blow for West Ham but big boost for Newcastle.
Jordan takes new swipe at Noble over West Ham owner relations.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
