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Athletic Club and Tottenham Hotspur have moved into the semi-finals of the UEFA Europa League. They ended the dreams of Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt. Both teams are now very close to winning an important European trophy after hard-to-win quarter-final matches.
WHAT HAPPENED IN THE QUARTER-FINALS?
Athletic Club won 2-0 against Rangers in Bilbao, winning 2-0 over the two games after a 0-0 draw in Glasgow. Oihan Sancet scored a penalty before half-time, and Nico Williams scored again with a strong header. This makes it Athletic’s first European semi-final in 13 years. Tottenham won 1-0 against Eintracht Frankfurt, thanks to a Dominic Solanke penalty, after a 1-1 draw in the first game. This gives the London club a close 2-1 win overall, even without their captain Son Heung-min, who is injured.
SEMI-FINAL LINE-UP AND SEASON CONTEXT
The Europa League semi-finals are now fixed: Athletic Club will play Manchester United, and Tottenham will play Bodø/Glimt from Norway. Athletic Club, having a strong season, are now very close to playing the final at home in San Mamés. They must beat a Manchester United team that came back in extra time to beat Lyon. Tottenham, who are not playing well in the Premier League in 15th place, want to save their season and win their first big trophy since 2008. Their opponents, Bodø/Glimt, have already made history by being the first Norwegian club in the semi-final of a major European cup.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The first semi-final legs are on May 1, with the second ones on May 8. Athletic Club will play Manchester United at San Mamés, while Tottenham will host Bodø/Glimt in London. The winners will play in the final held in Bilbao on May 21. In their leagues, Athletic Club are still fighting in La Liga, and Manchester United are trying to finish in the top four in the Premier League. Tottenham, who want to end a tough season with a European win, meet a Bodø/Glimt team that has no fear and nothing to lose. With Rangers and Eintracht Frankfurt knocked out, all eyes are on these four teams in an unexpected Europa League journey.
