Shakhtar Donetsk and Sevilla traded punches in a thrilling Europa League semi-final, while Villarreal broke Liverpool hearts in the last minute.
Los Rojiblancos have two away goals to take back to Andalusia while Jürgen Klopp’s Reds must overturn a deficit at Anfield.
Shakhtar have played their matches 780 miles away in Lviv for almost two years, as Ukraine has descended into a bitter civil war.
Mircea Lucescu’s side had perhaps the toughest tie of the semi-finals, as Sevilla have won the competition for the last two years.
Shakhtar Donetsk and Sevilla traded punches in a thrilling Europa League semi-final, while Villarreal broke Liverpool hearts in the last minute.
Los Rojiblancos have two away goals to take back to Andalusia while Jürgen Klopp’s Reds must overturn a deficit at Anfield.
Shakhtar have played their matches 780 miles away in Lviv for almost two years, as Ukraine has descended into a bitter civil war.
Mircea Lucescu’s side had perhaps the toughest tie of the semi-finals, as Sevilla have won the competition for the last two years.
It looked as though the Spanish side would book their place in yet another final when Victor Vitolo latched onto a pass from Kevin Gameiro to fire the visitors in front.
However, fantastic play from Yaroslav Rakitsky bought him some space, and he set up Marlos to equalise with 23 minutes played.
It was to get better 13 minutes later, when Marlos jinked down the left and swung in a sublime cross for Taras Stepanenko to head home.
Sevilla pushed for an equaliser in the second half, and Gameiro had a goal ruled-out for offside with 15 minutes remaining.
The Frenchman went close again five minutes later, but Oleksandr Kucher denied him with a stunning goalline clearance.
Shakhtar couldn’t keep him out forever though, and just minutes later Gameiro grabbed the equaliser from the penalty spot after Facundo Ferreyra brought down Vitolo.
The other match was a more cagey affair, but the hosts won the match in dramatic fashion.
Villarreal came the closest in the first half, as Roberto Soldado’s strike went just wide of the post.
Just after the interval, a Jonathan Dos Santos corner found the head of Cedric Bakambu, but his effort crashed against the Liverpool bar.
The Reds hit the woodwork at the other end 20 minutes later, Roberto Firmino striking the base of the post after an assist by James Milner.
With just three minutes remaining, the visitors had Simon Mignolet to thank as the Belgian goalkeeper superbly saved Bakambu's strike from the edge of the box.
Just as it appeared the match was to end in a stalemate, Denis Suarez unselfishly squared for Adrian who tapped the ball into the net.