4 teams, 2 spots: Europa League reaches crescendo with final at stake
Baku, May 7, AZERTAC
The Europa League semifinals reach their decisive night on Thursday, with four teams chasing two places in the final and little separating them after tense first-leg encounters, the Daily Sabah reported.
At Villa Park, Aston Villa return home needing to overturn a 1-0 deficit against Nottingham Forest in an all-English showdown that has tilted delicately in the visitors’ favor. The winner will advance to the final in Istanbul later this month, where either Braga or Freiburg await.
Villa’s European story has been steadily building. After a Conference League semifinal in 2024 and a Champions League quarterfinal last season, this campaign offers a chance to reach their first continental final since lifting the European Cup in 1982.
To do so, Unai Emery’s side must respond after a flat first-leg display settled by Chris Wood’s penalty, awarded following a handball by Lucas Digne.
Recent domestic form raises questions.
Villa have lost three straight league games, including a subdued defeat to Tottenham that exposed the limits of squad rotation.
Yet Europe tells a different story. Nine consecutive home wins in continental competition, along with a near-constant scoring run, reinforce Villa Park’s reputation as a stronghold. Emery’s track record only adds weight.
The four-time Europa League winner has not lost a two-legged tie in this competition for more than a decade, progressing through 22 straight matchups.
History also leans Villa’s way. They are unbeaten in their last 10 home games against Forest, a run stretching back to 1994. But this version of Forest arrives transformed.
Since Vitor Pereira took charge in February, Forest have surged into form, stringing together a 10-game unbeaten run that has lifted them clear of relegation trouble and into genuine contention for a European final. Their latest statement came in a 3-0 win over Chelsea, where Taiwo Awoniyi struck twice around a penalty from Igor Jesus.
Pereira has already guided Forest past Fenerbahce, Midtjylland and Porto to reach their first European semifinal in over four decades. Their pedigree remains strong. Forest have won two European Cups and rarely falter after taking a first-leg lead, losing just once in their last 13 such ties.
Villa will turn to Ollie Watkins to lead the response, supported by the in-form Morgan Rogers, who has been directly involved in five goals in six home games in this competition. John McGinn is expected back, while injuries continue to limit options in midfield.
Forest’s attacking threat remains sharp, with Igor Jesus leading the competition in away goal involvement and total shots. Wood is set to spearhead the attack again, while concerns linger over Morgan Gibbs-White after a heavy collision last weekend.
Elsewhere, the tie between Freiburg and Braga remains finely poised, though the German side must overturn a 2-1 deficit after conceding a stoppage-time winner in Portugal. Mario Dorgeles struck late to hand Braga control, canceling out earlier efforts from Vincenzo Grifo and Demir Ege Tıknaz.
For Freiburg, the path is clear but demanding. Their domestic campaign has faded, leaving the Europa League as their only route back into elite European competition. Encouragingly, they return to a venue where they have won 10 straight continental matches, scoring freely and conceding little.
Julian Schuster’s side halted a losing streak with a weekend draw, but injuries continue to mount, including a significant blow with Yuito Suzuki ruled out.
Braga arrive with belief, even if recent form has been uneven. Carlos Vicens’s team have lost just once in nine matches and boast a strong Europa League record, losing only twice in their last 20 games in the competition. Their composure under pressure was evident in the previous round, where they overturned a deficit against Real Betis.
However, the visitors are also stretched. Captain Ricardo Horta remains sidelined, joining a growing list of absentees that could test their depth in a high-stakes away leg.
Other news in this section
