Diego Forlan's extra-time effort sent Atletico Madrid into the Europa League final on away goals at the expense of Liverpool after a 2-2 aggregate draw on Thursday. Atletico will meet Fulham in the May 12 final in Hamburg where they will bid to win their first major European trophy since the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1962.
Bayer Leverkusen won their first trophy in 31 years with five matches left in the season, snapping Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on the Bundesliga.
Chelsea are in the last chance saloon as far as a trophy goes and Fernando Torres, complete with his 'Mask of Zorro', must continue his recent improvement in swashbuckling style in Thursday's Europa League semi-finals.
Liverpool full back Nathaniel Clyne is eager to end Manchester United's Europa League campaign after losing both Premier League matches against their arch rivals for a second successive season. English football's most successful clubs meet for the first time in Europe on Thursday in the first leg of their last-16 clash at Anfield, with Liverpool aiming for revenge after a 1-0 home loss in January and 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford in September. "I think we owe them from the Premier League games, which we probably should have got more out of. But we have time now to put things right and progress through the cup," Clyne told British media.
Jose Mourinho has been charged with using abusive language against a match official, governing body UEFA said
Former UEFA Cup winners Anderlecht reached the Europa League knockout stage with the only perfect record on Thursday and were joined in the last 32 by Athletic Bilbao, Legia Warsaw, PSV Eindhoven and Twente Enschede with two games to spare.
Unai Emery's side were heading for a demoralising defeat, three days after losing meekly to Sheffield United in the Premier League, but substitute Pepe's late intervention kept the Gunners top of Group F with a maximum nine points.
'So, the Champions League final will be played between two teams who just don't know when they are beaten,' says Suhit K Sen.
Liverpool hammered Sparta Prague 6-1 on Thursday to storm into the Europa League quarter-finals 11-2 on aggregate.
Al-Nassr have appointed Stefano Pioli as manager to replace Luis Castro, the Saudi Pro League club said on Wednesday.
Egemen Korkmaz's second-half header earned Fenerbahce a 1-0 win in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final against Benfica and eased the tears of team mate Cristian on Thursday.
AC Milan grabbed a 1-1 draw at Manchester United in the blockbuster Europa League last-16 first-leg at Old Trafford on Thursday.
Rodrigo Palacio snatched an 88th minute win for Inter Milan over Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League on Thursday while Lazio were on the wrong end of some late drama in a 1-1 draw at Panathinaikos.
Liverpool will be without key duo Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres for Thursday's Europa League playoff second leg away to Trabzonspor.
Manchester City's Erling Haaland faces Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski meets Bayern Munich after the Champions League group-stage draw was made on Thursday.
Manchester United crushed Newcastle United's hopes of a claiming a first domestic trophy for nearly 70 years with a clinical 2-0 victory in the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
Jarrod Bowen converted a last-gasp penalty to lift West Ham United to a 2-1 Premier League victory over Manchester United in a fluctuating clash between two struggling sides on Sunday.
Bayer Leverkusen are the first team in the history of the Bundesliga to complete a full season without a loss.
Fernando Llorente netted a dramatic late winner for Athletic Bilbao to eliminate Sporting and Atletico Madrid comfortably held on to a first-leg lead to oust La Liga rivals Valencia on Thursday and set up an all-Spanish Europa League final.
IMAGES from the Premier League matches played on Wednesday.
David Luiz, lucky to be on the pitch after a shocking challenge, scored with the last kick of the game to give Chelsea a 2-1 win at FC Basel in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final after the Swiss side had levelled with an 87th minute penalty on Thursday.
'I think that the only thing that we lacked was to convert the chances. We were good in the high press. After going behind, we generated 20 chances and six or seven were very clear.'
Liverpool lost the plot in Atalanta defeat, says Klopp
In just a few months at Old Trafford, Jose Mourinho has been dismissed from the touchline and fined for his conduct as his side endured a poor start to the season -- yet the Portuguese is still enjoying being Manchester United manager.
Marcus Rashford has made more appearances than any other player at the club this season
Manchester City's Brazilian keeper Ederson won the Golden Glove award.
A round-up of Wednesday's action in the UEFA Champions League.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said they were committed to "qualification based on sporting merit".
I'm not happy with just fighting for fourth, I want to fight for trophies, says manager Jose Mourinho
The Champions League rule which has denied Tottenham Hotspur a place in next season's competition because Chelsea won Saturday's final could be reviewed by UEFA's executive committee, president Michel Platini said on Wednesday.
Fernando Torres will face his former club Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-finals after scoring twice to help Liverpool beat Benfica 4-1 at Anfield on Thursday.
Liverpool resumed their march to a second Premier League title on Sunday with a 2-1 victory over West Ham United.
PSG's Brazilian star striker Neymar was probably dazed in all the celebration that he swapped shirts with Leipzig defender Halstenberg post match.
Manchester United may field weakened teams in the league if a top-four finish seems beyond them in order to boost their chances of winning the Europa League, manager Jose Mourinho said.
Barcelona were drawn in Group E with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Dynamo Kyiv.
Manchester City won an unprecedented fourth straight English top flight title with a 3-1 win over West Ham United.
Man United out of Europe after 1-0 home loss to Bayern Munich
Ten Hag's contract was set to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season but denying Manchester City a domestic double and qualifying for the Europa League earned him another chance.
Real Sociedad will join Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and LaLiga champions Barcelona in Europe's elite club competition next season.
Images from the Europa League semi-final first leg matches on Thursday.
