All-English Showdown Set as Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest Advance: 2025/26 UEFA Europa League Quarter-Final Round-Up
The road to Istanbul is narrowing, and the 2025/26 UEFA Europa League has officially found its final four. Following a dramatic night of quarter-final second-leg action on Thursday, April 16, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, SC Braga, and SC Freiburg have successfully booked their tickets to the semi-finals.
In a massive storyline for Premier League fans, an all-English semi-final has been confirmed, while two European dark horses will battle it out on the other side of the bracket. Here is a complete wrap-up of the quarter-final second-leg results and a look ahead to the highly anticipated semi-final clashes.
Quarter-Final 2nd Leg Results
Aston Villa 4 – 0 Bologna (Aston Villa win 7-1 on aggregate)
Unai Emery’s Aston Villa made a massive statement at Villa Park, dismantling Italian side Bologna 4-0 to sail through. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring 16 minutes in, marking his 100th goal for the club and cementing his status as Villa’s all-time top European scorer. Goals from Emi Buendía, Morgan Rogers, and a late strike from Ezri Konsa completed the rout, ending the tie as a contest before the second half even gathered pace.
Nottingham Forest 1 – 0 FC Porto (Nottingham Forest win 2-1 on aggregate)
At a rocking City Ground, Nottingham Forest secured their passage to the semi-finals in a nail-biting encounter against Portuguese giants FC Porto. Following a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Morgan Gibbs-White became the hero of the night, netting the solitary goal that sent the Reds through. Porto’s task was made impossible after going down to ten men just eight minutes into the game, allowing Forest to control the tempo and see out a historic victory.
Real Betis 2 – 4 SC Braga (Braga win 5-3 on aggregate)
In the shock of the round, Spanish favorites Real Betis crashed out at the Estadio de La Cartuja. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Betis looked comfortable early on, but Braga produced a stunning away performance. Bouncing back from an initial deficit, the Portuguese side fired four goals past the Seville outfit, ultimately winning 4-2 on the night and sending last year’s Conference League finalists packing.
RC Celta de Vigo 1 – 3 SC Freiburg (Freiburg win 6-1 on aggregate)
Bundesliga high-flyers SC Freiburg continued their ruthless European campaign, traveling to Spain and brushing aside Celta Vigo 3-1. Having already won the first leg 3-0, the tie was effectively over before it began. The Germans demonstrated absolute class, cruising to a 6-1 aggregate victory to reach the last four of a European competition for the first time in their history.
The Buildup to the Semi-Finals
The headline of the semi-finals is undoubtedly the blockbuster all-English clash between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. This tie guarantees that a Premier League club will feature in the final in Istanbul. It marks the first all-English European semi-final since Arsenal played Manchester United in the 2009-10 Champions League. Both clubs have rich European pedigrees—as former European Cup winners—and the domestic rivalry will add incredible spice to a high-stakes continental tie.
On the other side of the draw, SC Freiburg and SC Braga represent the ultimate underdog story. Freiburg has been incredibly dominant, boasting a lethal attack that just put six past Celta Vigo over two legs. Meanwhile, Braga proved their resilience and tactical brilliance by upsetting Real Betis in Spain. Both teams will view this as a golden, once-in-a-generation opportunity to lift major European silverware.
Semi-Final Dates & Fixtures
Mark your calendars! The semi-finals will be played over two legs in late April and early May. For fans tuning in from Kenya, all matches will kick off at 10:00 PM East African Time (EAT).
First Leg – Thursday, April 30, 2026
- Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa – City Ground, Nottingham (10:00 PM EAT)
- SC Braga vs. SC Freiburg – Braga Municipal Stadium, Braga (10:00 PM EAT)
Second Leg – Thursday, May 7, 2026
- Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest – Villa Park, Birmingham (10:00 PM EAT)
- SC Freiburg vs. SC Braga – Europa-Park-Stadion, Freiburg (10:00 PM EAT)
The two victors will then set their sights on the grand prize—the UEFA Europa League Final, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, Turkey.
Stay tuned to SportsBiz.co.ke for more exclusive previews, odds, and European football updates!
