The next Semi-Final Special! The 2nd Leg is all that separates teams from a Final in the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League!
And so, in the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League, just one game separates teams from a heart-breaking Semi-Final elimination and a ticket to the Final. Some semi-finalists have it all to do in this 2nd Leg, needing to achieve comebacks to keep their hopes alive of a European trophy, whereas some know all they need to do is avoid defeat. What is for certain, however, is that no team is yet guaranteed of their place in the Final, there is no scoreline impossible to turn over. So, EVERYTHING is possible!
Not sure who to take a punt on? Then read our preview and place your bets wisely!
Contents:
- UEFA Champions League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Inter vs Milan
- UEFA Champions League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Manchester City vs Real Madrid
- UEFA Europa League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Sevilla vs Juventus
- UEFA Europa League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Bayer Leverkusen vs Roma
- UEFA Europa Conference League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Basel vs Fiorentina
- UEFA Europa Conference League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – AZ vs West Ham
UEFA Champions League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Inter vs Milan
It couldn’t have been a more perfect start for Inter. In the 1st Leg of the UEFA Champions League Semi-Final, the Nerazzurri were 2-0 up after only 11 minutes and, in truth, it could have been even more. A week after that Derby della Madonnina, the two rivals clash again for their 5th battle of the season, and Inter have already managed to win 3 derbies against Milan this campaign for the first time since 1994-95. Only once have they won 4 derbies in a season, 1973-74, will they achieve that again here? Of course, Simone Inzaghi’s men could draw, or even lose (by a one-goal margin) and still qualify for what would be their 6th Champions League Final, the first since 2010-11, incidentally the last time they lifted the UCL trophy. Inter are in flying form, winning all of their last 7 matches in all competitions, can Milan take revenge and put an end to that?
Milan’s form is a far cry from that of Inter’s. The Rossoneri have only won 2 of their last 8 matches in all competitions (drawn 4, lost 2), form which has seen them slip away from the Top 4 of Serie A. Coincidentally, their two defeats have come in their most recent two games, one in the UCL 1st Leg against Inter and one in Serie A against relegation-threatened Spezia, both ending in 2-0 defeats. The drop in form couldn’t have arrived at a worse time, resulting in the Curva Sud supporters lecturing the players after the Spezia game, in an attempt to provide motivation to the players. After all, the biggest game of their season awaits, and Milan need to turn this derby malaise around: they won the first derby of the season before losing the next three without scoring a single goal. A first UCL Final since 2006-07 depends on this comeback, and we have seen some special ones in the past. Can Milan do it?
UEFA Champions League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Manchester City vs Real Madrid
It wasn’t a win, but Manchester City will be delighted that they return to the Etihad following a 1-1 draw away from home at the Bernabéu. With home advantage in the crucial 2nd Leg, can Pep Guardiola’s men reach their 2nd Champions League Final and, this time, lift the trophy? The immediate priority is to take revenge on a Real Madrid side that eliminated them in the Semi-Final last season, very late in the game, and that could very well be likely considering City’s remarkable record at home in the competition: Man City are unbeaten in their last 25 UCL home games (won 23, drawn 2), with another victory here guaranteeing their place in the Final. Better yet, Guardiola’s men have lost only 1 of the last 5 meetings against Real Madrid and, out of all their encounters exclusively at the Etihad, City have NEVER lost (won 2, drawn 2). This includes winning each of the most recent 2 home games against Real Madrid, all they need is another!
Real Madrid won’t be fearful, however. They know what it’s like to come back against this opponent in a UCL Semi-Final and, whilst this time the 2nd Leg will be away from Madrid, los Blancos are experts in this competition and seemingly always find a way. A total of 14 UCL titles, twice as many as anybody else, Real Madrid have true European pedigree whereas the pressure might all be on Man City who continue to chase their elusive first triumph. Los Merengues might never have won at the home of Man City, but Carlo Ancelotti’s men already know what it takes to earn victory on English soil, winning both at Anfield (Liverpool) and Stamford Bridge (Chelsea) in the previous knockout rounds that set them up for this Semi. Ancelotti, a veteran of the game both on the pitch and on the touchline, will celebrate his 191st UCL game as a manager, a new record overtaking Sir Alex Ferguson (190). He knows what will be more important, however, a victory to take Real Madrid to the Final!
UEFA Europa League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Sevilla vs Juventus
Sevilla will understandably be devastated with Juventus scoring a last-gasp equaliser in the UEFA Europa League Semi-Final 1st Leg to put the current scoreline at 1-1, but the Andalusian side need to recognise that it’s still a positive result, especially with home advantage awaiting in the 2nd Leg. This was the manner in which they eliminated Manchester United in the previous round, drawing the away 1st Leg before the atmosphere at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán helped them earn a comfortable 2nd Leg victory. How they would love that again! Their stadium has boosted them time and time again, Sevilla have never been eliminated from the Europa League knockout stages when playing at home in a 2nd Leg (9 occasions), and even more impressively have won 24 of their last 27 home UEL matches (drawn 2, lost 1). Will it be another famous night in Seville?
Based on the 1st Leg performance from Juventus, the Turin side have it all to do. Massimiliano Allegri’s men lacked a cutting edge in the match last week but will be grateful they got their goal right at the death, at the very least to keep the aggregate scoreline level. However, with only 2 victories in their last 17 away trips against Spanish opponents in European knockout matches (drawn 3, lost 12, just 1 clean sheet), Juve know this unfortunate record needs to change. However, that statistic doesn’t include group stage matches, so let’s not forget that in 2016 the Bianconeri did win away from home against Sevilla (3-1) in the UEFA Champions League which formed part of their route to the Final. This time in the Europa League, Allegri has the chance to be only the 5th manager to take a team to both a Champions League and Europa League Final.
UEFA Europa League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Bayer Leverkusen vs Roma
A 1-0 1st Leg defeat for Bayer Leverkusen might not necessarily be the worst thing to happen. Whilst it does mean that they are now 4 games without a win against Roma (drawn 2, lost 2), a home 2nd Leg with a narrow margin could bring motivation to Xabi Alonso’s men to turn both this scoreline, and that statistic, around. There’s another unfortunate stat to get rid of: Leverkusen have only progressed from 1 of their last 11 European knockout rounds after originally losing the 1st Leg. However, that instance came this season in the Knockout Round play-offs against Monaco in February. In all 3 of their knockout stages so far, Alonso’s men have always won the 2nd Leg. It seems that they win when it matters most, can they do it again to overturn the deficit against José Mourinho, once the manager of Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid, and now the enemy on the touchline?
For the first time in their history, Roma have the chance to reach back-to-back European Finals. After being crowned champions of the UEFA Europa Conference League last season, Roma qualified for the Europa League and are close to going all the way again, just one more match in Germany stands in their way of the Final in Budapest next month. In every context, this 2nd Leg is a huge game, but even more so given that Roma’s trips to Germany rarely end in success: the Giallorossi have only won 2 of their last 15 European matches when travelling here to face German opponents (drawn 1, lost 12). However, they know the importance of their win at the Stadio Olimpico, proven when we see that Roma have progressed from 23 of their last 25 European knockout clashes when winning the 1st Leg. Can Mourinho’s men add one more to the tally, and reach the Final?
UEFA Europa Conference League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – Basel vs Fiorentina
What a result for Basel last week. After being down 1-0 due to a goal from their former player Arthur Cabral, Heiko Vogel’s men turned things around late in the game and won it right at the death with a goal from Zeki Amdouni to win 2-1. It was Amdouni’s 6th goal in the competition and perhaps his most crucial, because now the RotBlau can return home knowing that even a draw is enough to see them become the first Swiss side to ever reach a European Final. It’s clear that they’re fully prioritising this competition, the 2nd most successful team in the country (20 league titles) are 26 points behind the Swiss league leaders, because everyone knows that the Europa Conference League is a huge opportunity for glory.
It was a disastrous capitulation from Fiorentina, they came into this Semi-Final as the favourites and started the match well before crumbling under the Basel comeback. Arthur Cabral’s goal might make him the current top scorer in the competition, but his current tally may stop at 7 if the Viola don’t turn this around. After winning 9 consecutive UECL matches this campaign, Vincenzo Italiano’s men have lost each of their last 2 and now they need goals in Basel to prevent their initial dominance in the tournament coming to an end. Fortunately, goals are their speciality, 33 in the competition so far is 7 more than the next best (West Ham – 26), and 10 more than Basel (23). They need this goalscoring form to save them from elimination!
UEFA Europa Conference League – Semi-Final – 2nd Leg – AZ vs West Ham
AZ started the 1st Leg so well and, for parts of the game, seemed like they would come away with a phenomenal away win. Eventually losing 2-1, it does still leave just a small margin to chase in this 2nd Leg and, with home advantage in a packed AZ Stadium, the Alkmaar side still have the faith. After all, they’ve won ALL of their 8 games at home in the UECL this season (scoring 25 goals from these), right from the Second Qualifying Round up to the Quarterfinals, and the hope for Pascal Jansen is that they continue that here. Plenty of goalscoring practice in their weekend Eredivisie match, beating Emmen 5-1, so the team are raring to go to attempt this comeback.
A strong mentality from West Ham saw them eventually win 2-1 in the 1st Leg, battling the pressure that a home match holds, but there is still so much work to do in this away voyage. One thing that David Moyes will stress to his players, however, is that they will be absolutely fine if they continue with their near perfect run in the competition. Unbeaten in all 13 matches so far, the Hammers have only failed to win one of them (won 12, drawn 1) preventing them from a 100% record, but complacency cannot settle in. Moyes will know that this match is their toughest test yet, the only game that separates them from a European Final. They won’t want to lose a Semi-Final in consecutive seasons (last year, the Europa League), they have eyes for the Final!