Man United, Spurs, and Chelsea Reach European Semi-Finals

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea have all made it to the semi-finals of European competitions after a night full of drama.

In the Europa League, Manchester United, led by Ruben Amorim, pulled off an incredible comeback in extra time. They scored three late goals to beat Lyon 5-4 at Old Trafford, winning 7-6 on aggregate.

Tottenham battled hard and won 1-0 away at Eintracht Frankfurt, going through 2-1 over two legs.

In the Europa Conference League, Chelsea lost 2-1 at home to Legia Warsaw but still made it through after winning the first leg 3-0.

When Are the Semi-Finals?

The first legs of both the Europa League and Conference League semi-finals will be played on 1 May, with the second legs a week later.

• Tottenham will face Norwegian club Bodo/Glimt.

• Manchester United will take on Spanish side Athletic Bilbao, who knocked out Rangers.

• Chelsea will play against Djurgarden from Sweden.

Who Are Bodo/Glimt?

Bodo/Glimt are the champions of Norway and are known for their freezing home games, as their stadium is around 120 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

They shocked Italian club Lazio in the quarter-finals. Bodo/Glimt won 2-0 at home and, although Lazio won 3-1 in the second leg, the Norwegian side won on penalties.

They also famously beat Jose Mourinho’s Roma 6-1 in 2021, and knocked out a Celtic team managed by Tottenham’s current coach, Ange Postecoglou, in 2022.

Their fans are known for waving giant yellow toothbrushes, a tradition that started 50 years ago with a fan using one to lead chants. The club now sells these as official merchandise.

Who Are Athletic Bilbao?

Athletic Bilbao are a proud Spanish club that only signs players with Basque roots. They are known for their strong identity and passionate fans.

Their stadium, San Mames, will host this season’s Europa League final, giving the club even more motivation.

Under calm and experienced coach Ernesto Valverde, the team plays exciting but well-organised football. Their star player is winger Nico Williams, who recently helped Spain win the European Championship.

Athletic last reached the Europa League final in 2012 but lost 3-0 to Atletico Madrid.

Who Are Djurgarden?

Djurgarden are based in Stockholm, Sweden, and their name means “animal island.” Their stadium, the 3Arena, is located in the Johanneshov area of the city.

The club has won Sweden’s top league 12 times but has never gone this far in European competition until now.

Their domestic season has just started, and they’ve had a slow beginning, winning only one of their first three games.

Promising Swedish teenager Lucas Bergvall, now at Tottenham, used to play for Djurgarden. Swedish media once called him the club’s biggest-ever talent.

Djurgarden made it to the semi-finals by beating Rapid Vienna 4-1 after extra time, winning 4-2 overall.