PARIS – Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham head into the Europa League on March 14 both needing positive results to reach the quarter-finals after failing to win their last 16, first-leg ties.

A stoppage-time Patrik Schick equaliser spared Leverkusen’s blushes last week in Baku, and also maintained their unbeaten record this season, after Qarabag took a shock 2-0 lead against the runaway German Bundesliga leaders.