Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest clash again in Europa League semis
Reconvening at Villa Park for the second leg of their all-English Europa League semi-final, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will clash again today.
Forest hold a slim lead after last week’s opener, but Villa boast a superb home record in Europe, whoever prevails, the aggregate winner will proceed to the final, facing either Braga or Freiburg in Istanbul later this month.
After reaching the Conference League semis in 2024 and the Champions League quarter-finals last season, Aston Villa are aiming to take the next step and make their first continental final in a generation.
Several decades have passed since Villa beat Bayern Munich in the 1982 European Cup decider, and that wait will go on should they fail to overturn a 1-0 deficit on Thursday.
Though Aston Villa have suffered three straight defeats for the first time since 2024, they are grimly clinging on to fifth place and still have Champions League qualification within their grasp.
The omens are good: the Birmingham club have won their last nine European fixtures at Villa Park – also scoring in 31 of the last 32 – and their Basque boss is a proven expert at this level.
Expect another tight contest, as Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are taking a more cautious approach in Europe: both have kept seven clean sheets so far, including three apiece in the knockout phase.
While Villa started as competition favourites, recent displays suggest they may be running out of gas; meanwhile, Forest have found peak form at just the right time, so East can beat West in this big Midlands showdown.
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Can Freiburg overturn a one-goal deficit when they welcome Braga
To reach their first-ever European final, Freiburg must overturn a one-goal deficit when they welcome Braga for the second leg of their Europa League semi-final.
Last week’s first leg saw Freiburg fall to a dramatic 2-1 defeat, leaving Braga in control as they chase a first appearance in the competition’s showpiece since 2010–11.
That result marked a third successive defeat for the German outfit, who had already suffered heartbreak in extra time against Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal, before being comfortably beaten by Borussia Dortmund in the league.
Freiburg did manage to halt that losing run on Sunday, when they rescued a 1-1 draw against relegation-threatened Wolfsburg, ensuring the Breisgau Brazilians moved up to seventh in the Bundesliga table.
Already out of the running for a top-six finish domestically, Freiburg’s only route into Europe’s elite now lies in winning the Europa League, and Schuster can take confidence from the fact that his team have won their last 10 continental home matches, scoring 28 and conceding just four.
Braga, meanwhile, are closing in on another European qualification spot domestically, currently sitting fourth in the Primeira Liga table and five points clear of fifth, with just two games remaining, following a 1-1 draw with Estoril Praia last weekend.
Freiburg’s strong home record in Europe gives them a platform, but their recent form suggests they may fall just short of the level required to turn this tie around.
Braga, with the advantage in hand, are well placed to manage the game and could do enough to see it out, especially given their experience at this stage of the competition, so a draw appears likely here.
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Crystal Palace play host to Shakhtar in Conference League tie
Crystal Palace play host to Shakhtar Donetsk today, looking to secure their place in the Conference League final.
After a 3-1 victory in the first leg of their semi-final last week, Palace are looking to progress through to a European final for the first time in their history.
Although Palace can still achieve European qualification for next season through the Premier League, it has become evident that Oliver Glasner is starting to prioritise this competition.
The Austrian selected a strong side for last week’s first-leg success, with Ismaila Sarr, Daichi Kamada and Jorgen Strand Larsen all getting on the scoresheet.
Sarr’s early effort was his eighth in this season’s Conference League, making him the joint-top goalscorer in the competition.
Palace will now attempt to record a fourth successive Selhurst Park clean sheet in the knockout phase, the most recent coming in a 3-0 victory over Fiorentina in the last eight.
As for Shakhtar, they have recorded six wins and two draws from their most recent nine matches in all competitions, their only reverse coming versus Palace.
Although Shakhtar are in a position where they can throw caution to the wind, very few teams travel to Selhurst Park and come away with a two-goal victory. While there will inevitably be some nervy moments for the Eagles, we are backing them to come through one of the biggest matches in their history.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Strasbourg aim to produce a comeback against Rayo Vallecano
RC Strasbourg will be looking to produce another famous European comeback when they host Rayo Vallecano at the Stade de la Meinau on Thursday evening in the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final.
The French side trail by a single goal from the first leg and will be desperate to overturn that deficit in front of their own supporters, with a place in the club’s first-ever 21st century European final the prize on offer.
Strasbourg did not offer a great deal in the opening leg of this Conference League semi-final, and the French side were fortunate to come away from that first encounter only a goal down, given that they only managed five shots to Vallecano’s 24.
There were few positives to take from the first leg, yet the most significant one is that Strasbourg remain in this tie, and Gary O’Neil’s side will be well aware of what is possible when they perform to their capabilities at the Stade de la Meinau.
The most vivid illustration of what Strasbourg are capable of on home soil came in the quarter-final second leg, when they produced a stunning 4-0 victory over Mainz, having lost 2-0 in Germany.
Domestic form, however, is a concern for O’Neil heading into Thursday’s fixture, with Strasbourg having lost five of their last seven matches across all competitions.
Strasbourg’s home record in this competition and the memory of their stunning Mainz comeback make them dangerous opponents.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Aston Villa 20:00 Nottingham Forest
Fixtures
Crystal Palace 20:00 Shakhtar Donetsk
Strasbourg 20:00 Rayo Vallecano
