Freiburg and Aston Villa have made substantial progress towards the Europa League semi-finals, defeating Bologna and Celta Vigo respectively. Both Bologna and Celta Vigo face an uphill battle to overturn the deficits in the second leg.
Freiburg delivered a dominant performance at home, securing a convincing 3-0 victory against Celta Vigo. This was the most significant result of the day’s Europa League ties.
Aston Villa, considered a top contender for the title, achieved an impressive 3-1 away win against Bologna. The Italian club now faces a considerable challenge to catch up at Villa Park next week.
Meanwhile, the ties between Porto and Nottingham Forest, as well as Braga and Real Betis, ended in 1-1 draws, meaning all to play for in the return fixtures.
Europa League Quarter-Final First Leg Results:
- Braga 1-1 Real Betis
- SC Freiburg 3-0 Celta Vigo
- Bologna 1-3 Aston Villa
- Porto 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Upcoming Europa League Second Leg Matches (Thursday, April 16th):
- Celta Vigo vs. Freiburg – 18:45 CEST / 17:45 BST
- Real Betis vs. Braga – 21:00 CEST / 20:00 BST
- Nottingham Forest vs. Porto – 21:00 CEST / 20:00 BST
- Aston Villa vs. Bologna – 21:00 CEST / 20:00 BST
The winner of the Real Betis vs. Braga tie is likely to face Freiburg in the semi-finals, unless Celta Vigo can achieve a remarkable comeback. The victor of the Porto vs. Nottingham Forest match will likely play either Aston Villa or Bologna in the semi-final clashes scheduled between April 30th and May 7th. The Europa League final is set to take place on May 20th. Who do you think will win the Europa League this season?