Liverpool’s reward for their stunning Europa League defeat of Borussia Dortmund is a semi-final date with Villarreal.
Jürgen Klopp’s side will travel to El Madrigal stadium for the first leg on 28 April and host the second at Anfield on 5 May. It will be the first time the clubs have met competitively and represents another stern test for Liverpool.
Villarreal are currently fourth in La Liga, eight points clear of fifth-placed Celta Vigo, and on course for Champions League qualification through the domestic route. The Europa League winners also gain entry to next season’s Champions League.
Marcelino García Toral’s team have beaten Napoli, Bayer Leverkusen and Sparta Prague en route to the last four, seeing off the Czech club 6-3 on aggregate in the quarter-finals with four goals coming away from home. They have also beaten Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid at the 25,000-capacity El Madrigal this season – the former Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado scoring the only goal against Real – and drew 2-2 with Barcelona last month.
The draw for the other semi-final pitted the holders, Sevilla, against Shakhtar Donetsk. Sevilla, who are looking to win the Europa League for the third consecutive year, survived a fightback by Athletic Bilbao to win their quarter-final on penalties while Mircea Lucescu’s Donetsk were comfortable 6-1 aggregate winners over Braga.
This year’s final will be held at Basel’s St Jakob Park on 18 May.
