English football demonstrated its continental strength on Thursday evening as three Premier League clubs secured places in European semi-finals.
Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will contest an all-English Europa League last-four encounter, marking the first such meeting since Arsenal faced Manchester United in the Champions League during the 2008/09 campaign.
Villa dispatched Bologna with a commanding 7-1 aggregate triumph, whilst Forest overcame Porto at the City Ground following the Portuguese side’s early red card.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace maintained their pursuit of a maiden major European honour by progressing past Fiorentina in the Conference League.
Aston Villa thrashed Bologna 7-1 on aggregate to set up a semi-final clash against Nottingham Forest
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The Eagles will now meet Shakhtar Donetsk for a place in the final, ensuring English representation across both UEFA competitions at the semi-final stage.
Unai Emery’s side required just sixteen minutes to extend their advantage at Villa Park, with Ollie Watkins completing an exquisite team move to register his 100th goal for the club across all competitions.
The striker had starred in the first leg, and his milestone strike set the tone for another dominant display from the tournament favourites.
Morgan Rogers saw his penalty saved by Federico Ravaglia following a handball, yet Villa responded almost immediately through Emiliano Buendia, who capitalised on defensive lapses to net his second European goal of the campaign.
Rogers subsequently ended an eleven-match scoring drought with a composed left-footed finish, before Ezri Konsa added a late volley to complete the rout.
Ezri Konsa scored a last-gasp volley to complete the rout on the night for Aston Villa
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The victory edges Emery’s men closer to ending their thirty-year wait for silverware.
Forest reached the last four of a European competition for the first time since 1984 after Morgan Gibbs-White’s twelfth-minute strike proved decisive against the Liga Portugal leaders.
Porto’s challenge effectively ended when Jan Bednarek received a red card just eight minutes in, following a VAR review of his high challenge on Chris Wood.
The England midfielder latched onto Neco Williams’ pass before firing home, with his effort deflecting off Pablo Rosario.
Gibbs-White dedicated his celebration to teammate Elliott Anderson, who was absent following the death of his mother earlier that day.
Wood was forced off shortly after Bednarek’s challenge, whilst late injuries to Murillo and Callum Hudson-Odoi caused further concern.
The first leg takes place in Nottingham on 30 April, with the return fixture in Birmingham on 7 May.
Morgan Gibbs-White scored the winner for Nottingham Forest on a night they lost some key players to injury
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Crystal Palace secured their semi-final berth despite a spirited Italian fightback in Florence.
Having established a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg at Selhurst Park, the Eagles extended their aggregate advantage when Ismaila Sarr headed home Daniel Munoz’s cross after seventeen minutes.
Fiorentina reduced the deficit through Albert Gudmundsson’s penalty after Jaydee Canvot fouled Rolando Mandragora, before substitute Cher Ndour struck from distance early in the second half.
Dean Henderson produced a crucial save to deny Gudmundsson as the hosts pressed for further goals, but Oliver Glasner’s side held firm.
Ismaila Sarr netted an early header for Crystal Palace to completely rule out the chances of a comeback
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The Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk await in the last four after defeating AZ 5-2 on aggregate.
Palace’s progression came at a cost, however, with Adam Wharton and Maxence Lacroix both departing through first-half injuries.
