Just 8 clubs remain in this season’s Europa League, some of which are considers to be amongst football’s biggest clubs.
All of them are dreaming of being at Puskás Aréna on 31 May, so who will make it through to the semi-finals?
This article predicts who will come out on top in all four ties, getting underway on Thursday.
📰 Table Of Contents
Manchester United vs Sevilla
Manchester United have already faced three Spanish sides in this season’s Europa League, but now must get past the kings of this competition to reach the semi-finals.
The Red Devils actually finished below Real Sociedad in their group, but have since seen off Barcelona and Real Betis in the knockout stages.
Overall, it’s been a generally excellent first season in charge for Erik ten Hag.
At Old Trafford, they’re unbeaten in 24 matches, dating back to early-September, so a home win looks likely in this week’s first leg.
This is even more the case when Sevilla’s away record is taken into account.
Los Nervionenses are the record six-times winners of the Europa League, all of this success coming since 2006.
In fact, Sevilla have never failed to go on and lift the trophy when featuring in the quarter-finals of this competition.
However, los Hispalenses have been significantly below their best this season, currently fighting against relegation in La Liga, sat 13th, five points clear of danger.
In this competition, so far, Sevilla have seen off PSV Eindhoven and Fenerbahçe, winning the first leg at home before losing on the road each time.
In fact, in away games against top-flight clubs during this campaign, they’ve claimed just three wins from 20 fixtures, these wins coming at Espanyol, Mallorca and Cádiz.
Thus, Manchester United could establish an unassailable lead to take with them to Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán for the return leg.
Juventus vs Sporting CP
After causing a bit of an upset in the round of 16, can Sporting Clube de Portugal repeat the feat, thereby reaching a first European semi-final since 2012?
Last month, after both legs ended in draws, Sporting knocked out Premier League leaders Arsenal on penalties, converting all five of their spot kicks in North London.
This was massive for Rúben Amorim because his side are currently fourth in the Primeira Liga, five points below Braga in the final Champions League spot.
Given their underwhelming league position, the Leões are looking to this tournament to save their season, but will have to come through two extremely tough ties if they’re to feature in May’s final.
Juventus meantime are seventh in Serie A, although they would leap all the way up to second if their 15 point penalty is overturned.
If it isn’t, Massimiliano Allegri’s team know winning this trophy is likely to be their best route back into the Champions League.
Thus, la Vecchia Signora are taking the Europa League ultra-seriously, seeing off Nantes and then Freiburg so far.
I Bianconeri are three-times winners of this tournament and have to be amongst the favourites to go all the way.
Will Juventus be too strong for Sporting?
Feyenoord vs Roma
A repeat of last season’s Europa Conference League Final, meaning there is no love lost between these two.
11 months ago, the now departed Nicolò Zaniolo was the only scorer as Roma beat Feyenoord 1-0 in Tirana.
Will this one go the same way?
Since that final defeat, Feyenoord have massively improved, so will be confident of claiming revenge.
De club aan de Maas are eight points clear at the top of the Eredivisie, having beaten Ajax in Amsterdam for the first time in 18 years last month.
In Europe, Arne Slot’s side demolished Shakhtar Donetsk in the last 16, prevailing 7-1 at home after a 1-1 draw in Warsaw.
Orkun Kökçü and Oussama Idrissi both bagging braces as Feyenoord scored 7+ in a European game for the first time since a win over Baltika Liepāja in 1995.
This tie is unlikely to be quite as high-scoring, with José Mourinho determined to win the Europa League with a third different club.
I Giallorossi came from behind to beat RB Salzburg in the first knockout round before edging out Real Sociedad in the round of 16.
By hook or by crook, Roma need to get back into the Champions League this season and, following back-to-back wins, they are now third in Serie A.
Feyenoord have been irrepressible at De Kuip this season, so can they establish a healthy first leg lead this week?
Bayer Leverkusen vs Royale Union Saint-Gilloise
Royale Union Saint-Gilloise have already enjoyed an amazing European adventure, so how far will they go?
Before this season, les Unionistes had not competed in UEFA competition for 59 years and were in Belgium’s second-tier just two seasons ago.
Despite this, Karel Geraerts’s team topped their group in November, before dumping out Union Berlin in the round of 16.
That tie finished 6-3 on aggregate, with the two drawing in Germany before Union SG’s emphatic 3-0 victory in Brussels.
So, having knocked out one Bundesliga team last month, Union Saint-Gilloise will be confident of a victory in this tie too.
Bayer Leverkusen meantime needed a penalty shootout to overcome Monaco in the first knockout round, before swatting aside Ferencváros 4-0 last month.
Die Werkself have improved exponentially since Xabi Alonso took over in October, winning five league matches on the spin, most-recently beating Frankfurt on Saturday.
This has seen Leverkusen climb all the way up to sixth, despite being in the relegation zone when Alonso arrived.
This tie is extremely tough to call, with Leverkusen needing to make home advantage count in the first leg at BayArena.
