PARIS: Defending champion Atletico Madrid is one of several high-profile sides whose continued participation in this season's Europa League will be at stake when the group phase concludes Wednesday and Thursday. Atletico ended a 48-year wait for major European honors when it won the inaugural edition of the re-styled tournament last season, but it travels to Bayer Leverkusen Thursday knowing that its fate is not in its hands. Third in Group B ahead of the encounter, Atletico must win at the BayArena and hope that second-placed Aris do not prevail at home to bottom side Rosenborg in the other group game. Atletico and Aris are level on points, but having lost to the Greek side home and away, the defending champion will be eliminated by virtue of an inferior head-to-head record if it cannot better its result. Sergio Aguero was on target twice as Atletico won 2-0 against Deportivo La Coruna Saturday, sending it up to sixth in La Liga, and assistant coach Fran Escriba insists morale is good ahead of the trip to Germany. “I think that we have possibilities of going through,” said Escriba, in comments reported on the club's official website. “We had qualification for the next round in our hands and we let it slip away. We're going there with all the confidence that we can win, although obviously we're not only depending on ourselves. “The only thing going through our heads is winning. We'd feel really bad if Rosenborg did us a favor and we didn't take advantage of it.” Leverkusen, currently second in the German top flight, is already assured of a last 32 berth, but runaway Bundesliga leader Borussia Dortmund faces a winner-takes-all game at Sevilla Wednesday. The Spanish side hold a one-point lead over its Group J rival, meaning Dortmund – 11 points clear in the Bundesliga after a record-breaking 43-point haul from its opening 16 games – has to win. “We are delighted to have a final chance in Seville,” said Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender. French first division leader Lille faces a similarly high-stakes assignment at home to Ghent. The Belgians are two points ahead of Lille in second place in Group C, so Rudi Garcia's men know that only victory will take them through. Napoli, flying high in Serie A, must win at Steaua Bucharest to progress from Group G, while already qualified Liverpool welcomes FC Utrecht to Anfield for their final commitment in the pool. Two of the competition's star attractions, Juventus and Manchester City, meet in Turin for what could have been a gala match, had City not already qualified and Juve not already been eliminated. – Agence France
