Tottenham took a big step towards the Europa League final with a deserved first-leg win over Norwegian side Bodo/Glimt - but a late goal just leaves a little window of doubt.
02 May 2025
It was one of Spurs' best performances of a wretched season domestically and leaves them two games away from a first trophy since 2008.
Ange Postecoglou's side took only 38 seconds to open the scoring as Brennan Johnson headed in from Richarlison's nod down.
And James Maddison doubled the lead when he brilliantly took down Pedro Porro's long ball before squeezing the ball into the bottom corner.
Dominic Solanke rolled in a nonchalant penalty for 3-0 after Cristian Romero was fouled.
Bodo/Glimt have made headlines in recent times for an intense style of football that has led to impressive results - but they were outplayed until Ulrik Saltnes' effort flew into the top corner via a deflection off Rodrigo Bentancur.
That was their only shot on target.
The other concern for Spurs was the loss of goalscorers Maddison and Solanke to injury in the second half.
The second leg in the Arctic Circle is no formality, with Glimt beating Porto, Besiktas, Olympiakos and Lazio at home this season.
Their win rate at home in the Europa League since 2022-23 is 70%, compared to 9% on the road.
An all-English final in Bilbao could be on the cards with Manchester United winning their tie 3-0 at Athletic Club.
On-loan Manchester United winger Antony scored an emphatic volley to hand Real Betis a narrow 2-1 lead over Fiorentina in their Europa Conference League semi-final first leg.
02 May 2025
He reacted sharply in the box to rifle a volley past former Old Trafford team-mate David de Gea, doubling the Spanish hosts' advantage after Abde Ezzalzouli had put them into a sixth minute lead.
Ezzalzouli's effort crashed down off the crossbar and in by mere inches, requiring referee Michael Oliver to consult with the video assistant referee to confirm the ball had fully crossed the line.
Antony's strike took his tally to six goals and four assists across 19 appearances for Manuel Pellegrini's side since joining in January.
Fiorentina captain Luca Ranieri later pulled a goal back for the visitors, arriving in the box to arrow a low drive past the outstretched hand of Francisco Vieites.
The Italian club had several chances to level the tie but were unable to find an equaliser as their nine-match unbeaten run came to an end.
Robin Gosens missed the best of them, glancing a header inches wide at the near post to ensure they face an uphill battle at home in Florence next week.
The winner of the tie will likely face Chelsea in the final on 28 May after they won 4-1 away to Djurgarden in the other semi-final first leg.
Chelsea have one foot in the Europa Conference League final after coming away from Stockholm with a comfortable win against Djurgarden in the first leg of their semi-final.
02 May 2025
Jadon Sancho and Noni Madueke struck in the first half to settle the nerves for the Blues against their Swedish opponents.
Substitute Nicolas Jackson then bagged a second-half double, before 18-year-old Isak Alemayehu pulled one back for the hosts with the first goal of his senior career.
With a top-five Premier League place their main target, Blues boss Enzo Maresca made eight changes to Chelsea's starting line-up before Sunday's crucial Premier League meeting with newly crowned champions Liverpool.
But it did not unsettle them as a dominant display will leave them confident of finishing the job in next Thursday's return leg at Stamford Bridge.
Success in the competition will make them the first club to complete the full set of European trophies, having won the Champions League and Europa League twice.
A spectacular tifo display from Djurgarden supporters had welcomed Chelsea into the 3Arena, but the visitors drew first blood through Sancho after just 12 minutes.
Enzo Fernandez clipped a ball towards the back post for the on-loan winger to chest down and pass it into the back of the net, with the help of defender Marcus Danielson's sliced clearance.
The artificial pitch, which was a cause of concern for Maresca before kick-off, did not seem to hamper the Londoners at all as they dominated both possession and chances throughout.
They were 2-0 up when Fernandez slipped in Madueke two minutes before the break and he beat goalkeeper Jacob Rinne at the near post with a sharp finish.
Maresca made four half-time changes, including bringing on Cole Palmer and Jackson and the latter capitalised on a horrible defensive mix-up between Danielson and keeper Rinne to make it 3-0 just before the hour mark.
The Senegal striker then bagged a second six minutes later as he found the top corner with a fine finish from the edge of the box to assert Chelsea's control in the tie.
The vociferous home supporters were buoyed, though, by Alemayehu's downward header in the 68th minute, although it will take something special for Djurgarden to stop Chelsea sealing their place in the Wroclaw showpiece on 28 May.
Manchester United took a huge step towards reaching the Europa League final as a stunning spell in the first half against 10-man Athletic Bilbao ensured they take a big advantage into the semi-final second leg at Old Trafford.
02 May 2025
Playing at a vociferous San Mames Stadium, the visitors could have been 2-0 down after Inaki Williams sent a header from a good position over, before Victor Lindelof blocked Alex Berenguer's shot on the line.
But the game turned dramatically in United's favour in the 30th minute when Harry Maguire produced some good skill on the right before his cross was flicked on for Casemiro to head in.
It got even better for the visitors seven minutes later when, after a review by the video assistant referee, they were awarded a penalty for a foul on Rasmus Hojlund by Dani Vivian, who was subsequently sent off.
Bruno Fernandes then closed out the loud boos from the home fans to coolly place the spot kick into the back of the net.
And a rampant United went 3-0 up just before the break when Manuel Ugarte played a clever flick to send Fernandes through and the captain made no mistake.
Ruben Amorim's side could have had more in the second half with Casemiro - impressive throughout - clipping the outside of the post with a header from a corner.
A fourth would have firmly put the tie beyond Bilbao and although it was not to be, a three-goal deficit is still likely to be too much for the Spanish side to overcome when they head to Old Trafford next Thursday.
With Tottenham beating Bodo/Glimt 3-1 in their semi-final first leg, an all-English Europa League final is looking likely.
Barcelona twice came from behind against Inter Milan to snatch a draw in a six-goal first-leg thriller to leave their Champions League semi-final finely poised.
01 May 2025
Inter stunned the hosts after just 30 seconds when Marcus Thuram turned in Denzel Dumfries' low cross with an audacious backheel flick to score the fastest goal in a last-four game in the competition's history.
Dutch full-back Dumfries doubled the visitors' lead with a stunning acrobatic volley 20 minutes later and it looked like Barca had a mountain to climb at Montjuic Olympic Stadium.
But the magical, magnificent Lamine Yamal pulled out his box of tricks to transform the game.
He struck a wonderful 24th-minute reply as he drifted inside and skipped past several defenders before unleashing a sumptuous left-foot finish that kissed the post before landing in the net.
Yamal was at the heart of everything Barca did, also hitting the woodwork twice, but marked his 100th appearance for the club with a 22nd goal to add to his 33 assists at the age of just 17.
Ferran Torres capped off an enthralling first half with a 38th-minute equaliser for the hosts, stabbing home from close range after Raphinha headed down Pedri's crossfield ball.
But the impressive Dumfries scored his second of the night in the 63rd minute to restore Inter's lead when he rose highest to meet Hakan Calhanoglu's corner.
But Barca again responded in style and levelled just two minutes later when a stunning 25-yard strike from Raphinha clattered the bar, bounced down and into the net, via a touch off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer's back.
The breathless affair leaves the tie in the balance, with the second leg on Tuesday at the San Siro in Milan.