The first-legs of all of the European semi-finals have taken place this week with the four UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League ties getting underway tonight.
With only one team involved that has won a European trophy in this century, eight sides went into tonight with the opportunity to really try and create or at least set up some history so here is a round-up of what has happened in the two tournaments ahead of next week’s decisive second-legs.
Olympique de Marseille 1-1 Atalanta
Roma 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen
Down in the south of France, Liverpool’s quarter-final conquerors Atalanta and the main character from that victory, Gianluca Scamacca, went ahead at the Stade Velodrome but the Bergamasci were pulled back in the 20th minute with a Chancel Mbemba goal leaving it all to play for in Italy next week. That is not quite the case at the BayArena next week as Xabi Alonso’s treble chasers extended their unbeaten campaign to 47 matches across all competitions with a 2-0 defeat at the Stadio Olimpico against Roma with strikes from Florian Wirtz and Robert Andrich.
Aston Villa 2-4 Olympiakos
Fiorentina 3-2 Club Brugge
At Villa Park, Greek giants Olympiakos raced into a shock 2-0 lead with an Ayoub El Kaabi brace before Villa pegged them back just before half-time via Ollie Watkins. Moussa Diaby then brought the Villains level early in the second-half before El Kaabi completed his hat-trick from the spot and Santiago Hezze made it 4-2 with Douglas Luiz then missing a late penalty. There was also drama in Florence as last season’s runners’ up rescued a first-leg lead against Club Brugge with M’Bala Nzola scoring a second-half stoppage-time winner for I Viola to win by three goals to two.
