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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Michael Butler

West Ham, Fiorentina, Roma and Sevilla reach European finals – as it happened

Sevilla’s Yousseff En-Nesyri and teammates celebrate victory over Juventus in their Europa League semi-final second leg match.
Sevilla’s Yousseff En-Nesyri and teammates celebrate making the Europa League final. Photograph: Denis Doyle/UEFA/Getty Images

I’m going for a lie down. Turns out that watching four at once is very tiring! I’ve just had a reader in my inbox complaining about it not being an actual minute-by-minute report. Sorry about that one, Bob.

A great night, though. West Ham reach their first European final since the Cup Winners’ Cup final in 1976. Woof! They will meet Fiorentina in the final.

You have to say that Sevilla deserved their win over the two legs against Juventus. They were the better side in Turin and showed great composure to get back into the match after Vlahovic’s opener. Both goals from Suso and Lamela were peaches.

Roma won it ugly against Bayer Leverkusen. I’m just pleased I wasn’t forced to watch that all night. But José Mourinho won’t care, and they have a chance to win their first European trophy since … last season.

That’s me, done. Thanks for all your emails and tweets. G’night!

Updated

So, the footy tonight.

European drama? Sure.

Premier League? Yep.

A shame, then, that everyone is talking about the League One play-off semi-final, where Sheffield Wednesday have come back from a 4-0 deficit in the first leg to win the second leg on penalties. Oh, Peterborough!

Sheffield Wednesday players celebrate winning the game on penalty kicks in the Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final second leg victory over Peterborough..
Sheffield Wednesday players celebrate winning the game on penalty kicks. Photograph: Matt West/Shutterstock
Sheffield Wednesday's Michael Smith celebrates with fans after the Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final second leg victory over Peterborough.
Sheffield Wednesday's Michael Smith celebrates with fans. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA
Sheffield Wednesday fans on the pitch at the end of the Sky Bet League One play-off semi-final second leg victory over Peterborough.
There’s people on the pitch … Photograph: Matt West/Shutterstock

Updated

A LOT has happened since 1990 (a final won by Juventus, by the way). Rui Costa’s socks, Batigol’s hair, bankrupcy and rebirth in 2002, Luca Toni’s Golden Boot, Mo Salah, the death of Davide Astori. Let them have their flowers.

Here are your finals!

Europa League: Sevilla v Roma

Europa Conference League: West Ham v Fiorentina.

Full-time: Basel 1-3 Fiorentina (3-4 agg)

Heartbreak for Basel. They defended so well. Barak’s goal will hurt for a long, long time. Fiorentina progress, where they will face West Ham in the final. And Fiorentina’s win here means there is still a chance for an Italian side to win all three European competitions, with Internazionale in the Champions League final and Roma in the Europa League final.

Full-time: Sevilla 2-1 Juventus (aet, 3-2 agg)

Juventus are out! Sevilla have qualified for their seventh Europa League final. Their record is absolutely astounding. Played six finals, won six. Roma await for Sevilla in the final.

Sevilla players celebrate after their Europa League semi-final victory over Juventus. The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán
Joy abounds the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

Updated

GOAL! Basel 1-3 Fiorentina (3-4 agg, Barak 129)

Oh my word! Fiorentina have done it in the 129th minute of the match. Wow. Wow. Wow. González crosses, Jovic nods it back across goal, Ndoye misjudges his header, and Barak is all alone at the back post. Time stands still as the Czech player has time to take a touch and stab the ball past Hitz. The Swiss are stunned. I am stunned!

Antonin Barak (centre, shirtless) celebrates with his Fiorentina teammates after scoring their third goal during the Europa Conference League semi-final second leg match against Basel.
Antonin Barak (centre, shirtless) celebrates with his Fiorentina teammates. Photograph: Sebastian Widmann/UEFA/Getty Images
Basel’s Michael Lang (left) and Andy Diouf look dejected after their side concedes their third goal scored by Antonin Barak of Fiorentina.
Basel’s Michael Lang (left) and Andy Diouf look gutted. Photograph: Sebastian Widmann/UEFA/Getty Images

Updated

Sevilla 2-1 Juventus (3-2 agg)

120 min: A succession of corners as Juventus put the squeeze on. Rekik, the former Man City centre back, is one of those at the back to help Sevilla get the danger away. The pressure releases as the ball comes out to Paredes, and the World Cup winner shoots over the bar.

Sevilla 2-1 Juventus (3-2 agg)

117 min: Juventus are playing route one now, but Bounou comes to claim with authority.

That red card for Acuna means that he’ll be suspended for the final of course. What a boost for Roma.

Red card for Sevilla!

115 min: Acuna has been sent off for timewasting! It’s his second yellow card, and now Sevilla will have to play with 10 men for the final five minutes of extra time.

Basel 1-2 Fiorentina (3-3 agg)

118 min: Basel are hanging on. Ikone latches onto a dreadful goal kick and curls a shot with the outside of his boot just wide. We’re just a couple of minutes away from a penalty shootout now.

Sevilla 2-1 Juventus (3-2 agg)

112 min: Rakitic hits the deck as the clock continues to tick in Seville. Juventus can’t seem to get anything going.

Declan Rice talks to the camera:

You should see the lads in [the dressing room]. Mark Noble is in there singing songs, singing ‘Bowen’s on fire’ and ‘West Ham are massive’. We’re absolutely buzzing to reach the first European final in 43 years. Dutch teams always keep the ball well but we knew we could catch them on the counter and that’s what we did. I’m trying to write history as the captain. We just want to make the fans proud, our families proud.

The West Ham players celebrate in the dressing room.
The West Ham players celebrate in the dressing room. Photograph: James Griffiths/West Ham United/Shutterstock

Updated

Should mention there were some ugly scenes after the final whistle in the Netherlands. AZ fans appeared to clash with the away support, as the frustration of the result got the better of the home fans. Worryingly, it appears that some of the players got caught up in the skirmish, perhaps as they went to check on their families? It’s unclear. Aaron Cresswell and Lucas Paquetá were certainly involved.

Jacob Steinberg's match report from AZ Alkmaar

Half-time in extra time: Sevilla 2-1 Juventus (3-2 agg)

Juventus will surely throw everything at this now. Kostic is on, he’s got a fine cross on him. Vlahovic, Milik, Rabiot, all to aim for.

Sevilla an unusual change: Navas off for Papu Gomez. A wing back off for an attacking midfielder. Hmmm.

Half-time in extra time: Basel 1-2 Fiorentina (3-3 agg)

Basel are looking extremely leggy, and seem content to hang on for penalties. Fiorentina have brought on former Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic, still just 25 years old, as they try to find a winner.

Sevilla 2-1 Juventus (3-2 agg)

100 min: Vlahovic climbs highest, but he can only direct his header at Bounou. Sevilla will surely try and kill the game from here. There are few better than that than Rakitic.

GOAL! Sevilla 2-1 Juventus (3-2 agg, Lamela 96)

What is it about Sevilla and the Europa League? Can’t stop, won’t stop. Tottenham loanee Bryan Gil created the goal, and former Tottenham star Erik Lamela finished, it. Sevilla have looked dangerous from wide areas all night, and Lamela steals in to nod powerfully past Szczesny. The stadium goes absolutely bananas. The camera is shaking in the stand. Wow. Juventus have to respond!

Erik Lamela (right) heads in Sevilla’s second goal.
Erik Lamela (right) heads in Sevilla’s second goal. Photograph: Denis Doyle/UEFA/Getty Images
Sevilla's Erik Lamela celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg football match between Sevilla and Juventus.
What a (or should that be water) celebration. Photograph: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

Europa League:

Sevilla 1-1 Juventus (2-2 agg)

Europa Conference League:

Basel 1-2 Fiorentina (3-3 agg)

90 min: Peeeeep! Extra-time begins in our two remaining ties.

Updated

Full-time: Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

Mourinho is through to his sixth European final as a manager. A defensive masterclass. It wasn’t pretty, but try telling that to the Roma fans in the away end. Mourinho goes to greet them, his fists in the air.

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

90+7 min: We’re still going in Germany. Roma are eking this one out! Abraham wins a free-kick right in front of the dugouts. The Englishman is playing for time and winks after he hits the deck. Xabi Alonso is exasperated, and gets a booking for protesting to the referee. Just one more minute to hold on for Roma.

Full-time: AZ 0-1 West Ham (1-3 agg)

That’s it, they’ve done it! West Ham will play one of Basel or Fiorentina in the final.That game will be decided in extra time. The away fans, all 800 of them, are going crazy. Some of the AZ fans are not best pleased.

Michail Antonio (centre) and his West Ham teammates celebrate after their victory over AZ Alkmaar.
Michail Antonio (centre) and his West Ham teammates celebrate their victory with their band of travelling Hammers fans. Photograph: Piroschka van de Wouw/Reuters
West Ham United manager David Moyes celebrates victory after the Europa Conference League semi-final against AZ Alkmaar.
West Ham manager David Moyes is also rather chuffed. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA

Updated

GOAL! AZ 0-1 West Ham (1-3 agg, Fornals 94)

David Moyes is a football genius! West Ham are into the Europa Conference League final! AZ stream forward in numbers, and West Ham hit them on the break! Fornals picks the ball up, nutmegs a defender and sprints towards the goal. He looks like he’s run out of steam, but hits a shot at goal, and it finds the bottom corner! Hammers in dreamland!

West Ham United’s Pablo Fornals scores their side’s first goal of the game during the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final against AZ Alkmaar.
Pablo Fornals fires the Hammers into the final. Photograph: Adam Davy/PA
West Ham’s goalscorer Pablo Fornals celebrates with Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek, Jarrod Bowen, Thilo Kehrer and Kurt Zouma in front of their fans during the Conference League match against AZ Alkmaar.
Happy Hammers. Photograph: Soccrates Images/Getty Images

Updated

End of 90 mins: Sevilla 1-1 Juventus (2-2 agg)

Another one that will go the distance.

End of 90 mins: Basel 1-2 Fiorentina (3-3 agg)

To extra time we go!

Sevilla 1-1 Juventus (2-2 agg)

90 min: It’s Sevilla doing all the pushing for a winner. Suso has been very influential since coming on, and not just because he scored that howitzer. Three minutes added on for injury time.

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

86 min: Nervy times for West Ham! De Wit goes up for a high ball with Zouma and Areola. All three of them fail to make clean contact, and the ball falls to the ground, hitting Zouma’s arm on the way down. Is that a penalty? It was certainly in the area but would have been harsh. Areola is also lucky that the ball didn’t bounce away from him. It could have gone anywhere but it bounced off Zouma and into the goalkeeper’s arms.

Nayef Aguerd of West Ham United FC, Kurt Zouma of West Ham United FC, Vangelis Pavlidis of AZ Alkmaar, Alphonse Areola of West Ham United FC, Tomas Soucek of West Ham United FC during the Conference League match between AZ Alkmaar v West Ham United.
West Ham keeper Alphonse Areola grabs the ball. Photograph: Soccrates Images/Getty Images

Updated

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

83 min: AZ simply can’t get around the low block of West Ham. Seven minutes to go for the English side to reach a European final.

Updated

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

78 min: Great chance for Azmoun. Wirtz takes a heavy touch, as Roma’s defenders swarm around the playmaker, but the ball bobbles off a head and falls perfectly on Azmoun’s right boot. But the Iranian drags his shot just wide. Rui Patricio was rooted. Leverkusen are knocking on the door!

Updated

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

76 min: Roma may not have had a man sent off, but they are doing a very good impression of Mourinho’s Inter side that somehow beat Barcelona in the 2010 Champions League semi-finals.

Tah tries his distance from range, a la Kompany, but it takes a deflection off Matic, I think.

GOAL! Basel 1-2 Fiorentina (3-3 agg, González 73)

The Argentinian gets his second goal of the night! He’s quickest to respond to the second ball in Basel’s box, and laces a brilliant shot into the far corner with his left foot. Three-three on aggregate!

Nicolas Gonzalez (front) celebrates after scoring his, and Fiorentina’s, second goal of the night at Basel.
No wonder Nicolas Gonzalez (front) is happy, that’s his second goal of the night. Photograph: Ennio Leanza/AP

Updated

GOAL! Sevilla 1-1 Juventus (2-2 agg, Suso 71)

What a hit! Chiesa loses possession, Acuna and Lamela combine and the ball finds Suso on the edge of the box, rides a challenge from Locatelli, and arrows a shot into the top corner. Szczesny has no chance. We are all square again!

Sevilla's Suso (centre) celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg football match between Sevilla FC and Juventus.
Sevilla's Suso (centre) celebrates scoring the equaliser. Photograph: Cristina Quicler/AFP/Getty Images

Updated

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

66 min: The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán is stunned. But Sevilla come roaring back to stir their stadium back into life. The crosses continue to come, Gudelj nods across goal but En-Nesyri is unable to turn the ball in at the back post. It was at an awkward height, around his waist.

GOAL! Sevilla 0-1 Juventus (1-2 agg, Vlahovic 64)

Vlahovic scores with his second touch! He’s only been on the pitch for 60 seconds. It’s a fortuitous opening, but Vlahovic takes the chance with supreme class. The Serbian bundles his way through two tackles, is one-on-one with Bounou, and the Juve striker dinks a finish over the Sevilla keeper! What an impact! Juventus are ahead!

Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic scores their first goal against Sevilla.
Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic scores their first goal against Sevilla. Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

Updated

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

62 min: Changes for both sides. Sevilla go first. Suso, formerly of Milan, is on for Torres. Juventus respond by bringing on Vlahovic and Chiesa. Two big time players. Di Maria and Kean off. Both sides trying to win it in the 90.

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

60 min: West Ham have entered their time-wasting phase. Both Soucek and Kehrer have been given yellow cards for dawdling when the ball goes dead. Gives you some idea of the attacking enterprise from the English side. They will go score now I’ve written that.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

58 min: Bremer goes close for Juventus! The away side have soaked up the pressure from Sevilla and were inches away from taking the lead on the night and inthe tie. Paredes crossed for Bremer, up for a set piece, and the Brazilian headed down towards the corner, but the ball just bounced wide. Bounou was scrambling. He was worried.

GOAL! Basel 1-1 Fiorentina (Amdouni 55, 3-2 agg)

Basel lead the tie once more! Amdouni latches onto a lofted pass, gets the better of Dodo, and curls a wonderful shot past Terracciano to restore the Swiss side’s lead in the tie! How many times has Amdouni done that for Basel in this campaign? Basel looked lifeless but now they are level on the night.

Basel's Mohamed Zeki Amdouni scores their equaliser against Fiorentina.
Basel's Mohamed Zeki Amdouni puts the home side level on the night and ahead in the tie. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Updated

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

51 min: Wirtz is a special footballer, but he has cut a frustrated figure so far for Leverkusen. Roma doing a good job of stifling him.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

49 min: Acuna takes aim, his squat thighs gearing up for a thunderbolt, and the Sevilla left back flashes his shot a couple of yards wide from the edge of the box.

“Some viewers might be asking themselves what this ‘SPQR’ company is on the Roma shirt,” emails Kári Tulinius. “The story there is that they used to be sponsored by a distasteful crypto company who couldn’t pay their bills, so the club took the logo off the shirt and replaced it with and older brand, ‘Senatus PopulusQue Romanus’, which is how the Roman Republic used to identify itself and its armies to the world, and is widely used today in the eternal city.”

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

47 min: If you were hoping for more West Ham updates here, it’s because the game has been preposterously boring at AZ. Which is just how Moyes will like it.

Updated

Peeeeeeeeep! We’re back underway in all four of the matches.

“The Sevilla-Juve match is a humdinger,” emails Colum Fordham. “End to end stuff. I have to admit, as a Naples-based Liverpool and Napoli fan, I’m not exactly rooting for the Turin side. Acuna and Navas are playing superbly. I’d love a final between the Spanish side and Roma who my Italian in-law Flavio is a big fan of.”

I should mention a couple more incidents from that first half in Seville.

1) The home side were extremely unlucky not to get a penalty after Fagioli twice handled in Juventus’ box.
2) A brilliant turn from Kean saw him work some space in Sevilla’s box, before smashing a low shot at the far corner. But Bounou stuck out a right leg, toeing the ball onto the post and away!

Half-time reading:

Particularly enjoy the image of Gazza’s pre-match order as part of the 1990-91 squad: Lasagne (and cornflakes). I’d have liked to have seen him make that order when he was in the Lazio squad.

In the Premier League, Newcastle are doing rather well against Brighton.

Half-time: a summary

Europa League

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

Europa Conference League

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

Basel 0-1 Fiorentina (2-2 agg)

Half-time: Basel 0-1 Fiorentina (2-2 agg)

The only goal of the evening, then, in Basel. No away goals, remember.

Half-time: Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

I have no idea how there has not been a goal. Sevilla had a very strong claim for a penalty in the final moments of the half, Torres flicking the ball over Cuadrado before clear contact, but VAR rules that Cuadrado’s (faintest) touch on the ball is enough for it to be judged a clean tackle. Which it clearly wasn’t. Ah.

Half-time: Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

Leverkusen have hit the bar, but Roma are Mourinho-ing their way to the final, as things stand.

GOAL! Basel 0-1 Fiorentina (2-2 agg)

In all that excitement, I missed a goal in Switzerland. Nicolás González heading in, direct from a corner! Game on!

Fiorentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez scores their first goal to put the tie on level terms.
Fiorentina’s Nicolas Gonzalez scores their first goal to put the tie on level terms. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters
Fiorentina's Nicolas Gonzalez celebrates scoring their first goal against Basel with Cristiano Biraghi
Gonzalez (righht) celebrates his goal with Cristiano Biraghi. Photograph: Denis Balibouse/Reuters

Updated

Half-time: AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

The Hammers will be happy.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

45 min: What a game it is in Seville. Like a basketball game. End to end, tackles flying in, chances. Remarkable that there hasn’t been a goal.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

44 min: Moise Kean is a lucky boy! Already on a yellow card, the striker appears to stamp on Ocampos after a collision. The Italian actually ‘missed’ his stamp, so didn’t make contact, but the intent was there. Ocampos wasn’t initially happy, pushing his rival in the chest, but actually did a good job of not playing up to the situation. Kean could easily have been sent off there.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

42 min: Juventus have the ball in the net! But Rabiot’s strike is ruled out for offside! Locatelli is released down the right, reaches the ball at the byline, pulls the ball back, and Rabiot is there on the penalty spot to sidefoot the ball into the roof of the net. But Locatelli is a few inches off, as VAR draw their lines. The correct decision.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

39 min: Gudelj catches Fagioli, and it looks like the Juventus man is going to have to come off. Yep, Fagioli is carried off on a stretcher, with the midfielder covering his face. That doesn’t look good.

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

37 min: Lots of possession for AZ, but not a lot of end product. West Ham will be happy enough as the clock ticks down towards half-time.

Jesper Karlsson of AZ Alkmaar is challenged by Tomas Soucek of West Ham United during the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final second leg match between AZ Alkmaar and West Ham United.
AZ’s Jesper Karlsson controls the ball as Tomas Soucek of West Ham United looks on. Photograph: Oliver Hardt/UEFA/Getty Images

Updated

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

35 min: If Juventus allow Sevilla to keep crossing the ball with no pressure on the ball, this is only going to go one way. Oliver Torres finds space on the right, fizzes one low to Ocampos, and the Argentinian sweeps his shot straight at Szczesny. A couple of yards either side and that could have been the opener here.

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

33 min: Massive blow for Roma. Spinazzola has pulled his hammy, so will have to come off. When the Italian international is on song, as he was during the Euros a couple of years ago, there are few better left-backs. On comes Zalewski. Straight swap.

30 min: Half an hour gone, and it’s as you were.

Europa League

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

Europa Conference League

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

Basel 0-0 Fiorentina (2-1 agg)

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

26 min: West Ham hit the post! Paqueta finds some space on the edge and curls on onto the outside of Ryan’s far post! Very close, the Australian keeper was beaten there. Benrahma also has a decent opportunity from the edge of the box, but the Algerian skies his effort.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

23 min: Wonder save from Szczesny! How has he kept that out?! Another cross comes in from the right, Ocampos dives to head the ball at the near post, and Szczesny dives to his left, somehow clawing the ball out. Wow! Sevilla piling on the pressure.

Basel 0-0 Fiorentina (2-1 agg)

20 min: Dangerous free-kick for Basel on the right, and there are appeals for a penalty as Calafiori goes down in the box. But nothing is given.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

15 min: I was really impressed with Bryan Gil in the first leg. The Tottenham loanee has proved rather lightweight in the Premier League although he did have a good run of form before returning to La Liga earlier this season. But he showed a real dynamism in Turin, gliding past his markers, and played a key part in Sevilla’s goal. Should have had an assist when he sent En-Nesyri through on goal, but the Moroccan striker couldn’t finish his dinner.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

11 min: Juventus are coming back into it. Gatti is unmarked in Sevilla’s penalty box, but the Juve defender can only power his header straight at Bounou. Should have done better!

Bayer Leverkusen 0-0 Roma (0-1 agg)

9 min: Diaby crashes a shot off the bar for Leverkusen! The Frenchman is so quick, and he bursts through on goal, leaving Ibanez for dead. Diaby takes the shot early, even from a wide angle, taking Patricio by surprise. The ball pings off the crossbar and away from danger. Very close to being an outrageous strike. Hard to be critical here, but could have have taken another touch, or cut inside?

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

7 min: It’s a similar story in Seville. The home side have all of the ball, Juventus can’t get a kick. Navas is being given the freedom of the right wing to put cross after cross into the box.

AZ 0-0 West Ham (1-2 agg)

5 min: AZ have started really well, stroking it about. West Ham are set up to play on the counter-attack.

Sevilla 0-0 Juventus (1-1 agg)

2 min: Huge mistake from Cuadrado! He falls over the ball in his own box, Rakitic pounces, drives to the byline but can’t find a Sevilla man with his cutback.

Peeeeeeep! And we’re off in all four matches

The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium is a sea of red in Seville in support of the home side. Juventus are wearing a pink and blue away kit, a sort of Crystal Palace knock-off.

Sevilla fans display a tifo banner prior to the UEFA Europa League semi-final second leg match against Juventus at Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
That’s a lotta red. Photograph: Fran Santiago/Getty Images

Updated

Coveted after Morrocco’s fine run at the World Cup, Sofyan Amrabat will be at the heart of Fiorentina’s midfield tonight alongside the vastly experienced Giacomo Bonaventura, who scored and was sent off in the win over Udinese at the weekend. Interesting that Jonathan Ikoné doesn’t start. He’s normally a menace down the right flank but has to make do with a place on the bench.

I enjoyed this interview with AZ’s manager, Pascal Jansen.

There are some familiar names in the AZ team. Jordy Clasie, formerly of Southampton, and Mat Ryan (formerly of Brighton and briefly Arsenal). But keep your eyes out for Milos Kerkez, the marauding Hungarian left back. He’s quite a talent and should keep Jarrod Bowen busy.

Updated

Islington-born Samuel Iling-Junior starts for Juve, keeping Enrico Chiesa out of the side. He looked very lively when he came on during the first leg against Sevilla, and is making a big impression in Turin – the 20-year-old scored his first Serie A goal earlier this month at Atalanta.

The boy is a bit special.

Team news

Sevilla v Juventus

Sevilla: Bounou, Jesus Navas, Bade, Gudelj, Acuna, Fernando, Rakitic, Ocampos, Torres, Gil Salvatierra, En-Nesyri.
Subs: Dmitrovic, Montiel, Alex Telles, Rekik, Suso, Mir, Lamela, Gomez, Flores, Hormigo, Bueno.

Juventus: Szczesny, Danilo, Locatelli, Gatti, Cuadrado, Iling-Junior, Fagioli, Rabiot, Bremer, Di Maria, Kean.
Subs: Chiesa, Vlahovic, Alex Sandro, Milik, Kostic, Miretti, Pinsoglio, Rugani, Paredes, Perin, Barbieri.

Referee: Danny Makkelie (Holland)

Juventus fan with tattoos are seen in the stands before the Europa League semi-final second leg agains Sevilla.
Pride of the Juventus fans. Photograph: Jon Nazca/Reuters

Bayer Leverkusen v Roma

Bayer Leverkusen: Hradecky, Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie, Frimpong, Demirbay, Palacios, Bakker, Diaby, Wirtz, Azmoun.
Subs: Amiri, Hudson-Odoi, Adli, Hlozek, Fosu-Mensah, Pentz, Azhil, Lomb,
Aourir.

Roma: Rui Patricio, Mancini, Cristante, Ibanez, Celik, Bove, Matic, Pellegrini, Spinazzola, Belotti, Abraham.
Subs: Karsdorp, Smalling, Camara, Dybala, Wijnaldum, Missori, Zalewski, Volpato, Boer, Tahirovic, El Shaarawy, Svilar.

Referee: Slavko Vincic (Slovenia)

AZ v West Ham

AZ: Ryan, Sugawara, Beukema, Chatzidiakos, Kerkez, Reijnders, Mijnans, Clasie, van Brederode, Pavlidis, Karlsson.
Subs: Dani de Wit, Verhulst, Mihailovic, Lahdo, Bazoer, Vanheusden, Buurmeester, Mees de Wit, Meerdink, Goes, Deen.

West Ham: Areola, Kehrer, Zouma, Aguerd, Cresswell, Soucek, Rice, Lucas Paqueta, Bowen, Antonio, Benrahma.
Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Coufal, Fornals, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Emerson Palmieri, Anang, Mubama.

Referee: Ivan Kruzliak (Slovakia)

AZ fans greet the players’ bus before the Conference League second leg semifinal soccer match between AZ Alkmaar and West Ham.
AZ fans greet the players’ bus as it makes its way to the AZ stadium. Photograph: Peter Dejong/AP

Basel v Fiorentina

Basel: Hitz, Lang, Nuhu, Pelmard, Ndoye, Xhaka, Burger, Calafiori, Augustin, Amdouni, Diouf.
Subs: Millar, Salvi, Fink, De Mol, Zeqiri, Essiam, Males, Frei, Vogel, Kade, Novoa.

Fiorentina: Terracciano, Dodo, Milenkovic, Igor, Biraghi, Bonaventura, Amrabat, Castrovilli, Gonzalez, Arthur Cabral, Brekalo.
Subs: Jovic, Saponara, Ikone, Ranieri, Venuti, Martinez, Cerofolini, Duncan, Sottil, Mandragora, Barak, Kouame.

Referee: Jose Sanchez Martinez (Spain)

Basel fans display a tifo prior to the UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final second leg match against Fiorentina at St. Jakob Stadium.
The Basel fans have brought their tifo A game to the St. Jakob Stadium. Photograph: Sebastian Widmann/UEFA/Getty Images

Updated

Preamble

Oh, football. You do spoil us. Two night of European drama already this week, and now we have four bumper European ties. A bit of everything in here, from fallen giants to resurgent underdogs, with even a bit of British interest thrown in for good measure.

Sevilla v Juventus remains the tie of the night. Tied at 1-1 from the first leg, the Spanish side will be kicking themselves that they were not able to close out a win in Turin, as Federico Gatti scored with a header seven minutes into added time to earn a draw. Sevilla, winners of this competition on 794 occasions, should have been out of sight, really, but Juve rallied late on, and an assist from Paul Pogba (sadly injured again for tonight) to set up Gatti leaves this tie on a knife-edge.

In tonight’s other Europa League semi-final, José Mourinho (Roma) holds a narrow advantage over Xabi Alonso (Bayer Leverkusen) after Bove struck at the Stadio Olympico. Bayer Leverkusen are looking to reach their first European final since the 2002 Champions League final, and will have some job halting Mourinho, who remains on course for back-to-back European titles after last year’s Conference success.

Speaking of the Conference League, here come the Hammers. West Ham came from behind to beat AZ in east London, with Michail Antonio bundling the ball over the line with 15 minutes left to comple the turnaround. But the star of the night was undoubtedly this chap, who must be about eight years old, going on 40. I haven’t been able to get ‘Alphabet FC’ out of my head all week.

Basel v Fiorentina completes our line-up. A stoppage-time goal from Zeki Amdouni earned the Swiss a 2-1 win, but hopes are high in Florence, with Viola hitting some form in the second half of the season.

Team news shortly, kick-offs at 8pm BST.

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