One Key Stat from Each Team Following the Europa League Quarter-Final Decisions as Braga Shocks Betis

22 – Celta Vigo’s journey has come to an end after their challenging return leg against Freiburg. Following a 3-0 loss in Germany the previous week, Os Celestes failed to overturn the deficit, ultimately losing 3-1 at home, resulting in a 6-1 aggregate defeat. This marks the fourth time Celta have been eliminated at this stage of the UEFA Cup/Europa League, with the three goals conceded at Balaidos being the most they’ve allowed in a European home match in 22 years.

2 – Freiburg delivered a remarkable performance, seizing their opportunities while remaining resilient in defence to secure a memorable outcome. Despite being outshot 13-9, the Bundesliga side maintained their composure. They have reached their first semi-final in UEFA club competition history, standing out as the only team left in the tournament to make such a debut. Thursday’s victory marks only their second win in the away leg of a two-legged tie.

12 – Similarly to Freiburg, Aston Villa also triumphed in both of their quarter-final matches. Their latest display was even more dominant, with the Villans overpowering Bologna 4-0 at Villa Park, leading to a 7-1 aggregate victory. Four different players scored for Villa, who are making their second continental semi-final appearance in the last three seasons. It has proven to be quite a challenge for teams to beat Villa at home in Europe, as this win extended their unbeaten streak to 12 matches.

1 – Bologna’s European adventure has come to an end after an impressive 11-game unbeaten streak, succumbing to Villa’s superior performance. I Rossoblu have enjoyed relative success in the UEL/UEFA Cup, reaching at least the quarter-finals in three of their six appearances. Unfortunately for Bologna, Villa seems to be their undoing, having lost all four encounters between the two. This marks the first time Bologna has lost both legs of a continental tie.

9 – After reaching the UEFA Conference League final last May, Real Betis appeared set to advance to the semi-finals. They were leading 2-0 at home against Sporting Braga before a shocking collapse saw them concede four unanswered goals, ending the match 4-2 for the Portuguese side. This knocked Betis out with a 5-3 aggregate score. It’s the third time they’ve lost at home in Europe despite scoring multiple goals, and they have now netted two or more goals in each of their last nine home matches.

3 – Braga remain the only team left in the UEL to have reached the last four under its current format, completing an astounding comeback to surprise their Iberian rivals. The four goals scored by Os Arcebispos set a record for the most they’ve ever achieved in a knockout round away game. They will face Freiburg in the semi-finals – their first in 15 years – presenting a significant opportunity for both clubs. Thursday’s victory marked Braga’s third win over a Spanish team, with their previous successes against Sevilla.

14 – A goal from Morgan Gibbs-White just 12 minutes into the match was enough for Nottingham Forest to secure a 1-0 win over Porto at The City Ground, advancing with an overall score of 2-1. This victory brings them to their fourth continental semi-final, and second in the UEFA Cup/Europa League. They have aspirations for a better outcome than their last semi-final against Anderlecht in the 1984/85 season, especially as keeping a clean sheet has proven essential; Forest’s last 14 home wins in Europe have seen them deny opponents a goal.

4 – Porto, the only team in this season’s competition with a Europa League title, faces elimination in the quarter-finals, their best performance since the 2013/14 season. Both of their defeats in this campaign came at the hands of Forest, with Jan Bednarek’s red card less than ten minutes into the match proving detrimental. Now, Porto will refocus on the domestic league as they seek to maintain their lead there, and they are currently without a win in their last four encounters with English teams (0-1-3).