Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest secured places in the Europa League semi-finals following their respective victories on Thursday. The results ensure an all-English tie in the final four of the competition, according to Sky Sports. Villa overcame Lille on penalties after the match ended 3-3 on aggregate. Meanwhile, Forest defeated Porto to continue their first European campaign in 24 years.
The upcoming fixture adds to a history of domestic rivals meeting in continental competition. Notable past encounters include Chelsea defeating Arsenal in the 2019 Europa League final and Liverpool overcoming Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League final that same year, per The Guardian. Manchester United also beat Chelsea on penalties in the 2008 final in Moscow. Villa last won a major European trophy in 1982 when they lifted the European Cup. Forest achieved back-to-back European Cup titles in 1979 and 1980. The first leg of the semi-final is scheduled for late April, with the return leg to follow in May.
