News

Europa League Semifinal Draw: Manchester United Vs. Celta Vigo, Ajax Vs. Lyon

Manchester United reached the UEFA Europa League semifinals with a 2-1 home victory over Anderlecht on Thursday.

Europa League Semifinals: Manchester United vs. Celta Vigo, Ajax Vs. Lyon

United defeated the Belgian club in Thursday’s second-leg quarterfinal with an extra-time goal from Marcus Rashford in the 108th minute to send the crowd at Old Trafford roaring. Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan scored the hosts’ first goal with a low shot in the 10th minute.

Having won 3-2 on aggregate following a tie in the first-leg game, the Red Devils will next face Celta Vigo in the semifinals. United will visit the Spanish club for Game 1 on May 4, and host Vigo for Game 2 on May 11.

The other Europa League semifinal will feature Dutch club Ajax against French team Olympique Lyonnais. The two will play in Amsterdam for Game 1 on May 3, and then in Lyon for Game 2 on May 11. The final will be held in Stockholm, Sweden on May 24.

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

Ajax reached the last four of the tournament by defeating German club Schalke 4-3 on aggregate in the quarterfinals. The Dutch team won its first-leg game 2-0 at home, then lost 3-2 in Thursday’s second-leg game in Germany.

United have won the European Cup three times but have never achieved success in the continent’s secondary club tournament.

Ajax won the Europa League in 1992, defeating Italian club Torino in the final. The Dutch club has also won the Champions League/European Cup four times.

United manager Jose Mourinho won the tournament with Portuguese club Porto in 2003. Now, his Premier League team will face Celta, a club that has never won a major European competition.

In the Champions League semifinals draw, Real Madrid will face cross-town rivals Atletico Madrid, while French club Monaco play Italy’s Juventus.

Real Madrid is hoping to become the first team to win the Champions League trophy two years straight in the final in Cardiff, Wales on June 3.

Atletico and Real will play Game 1 on May 2 and Game 2 on May 10, while Monaco and Juventus will play on May 3 for their first game and play Game 2 on May 9.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – APRIL 20: Marcus Rashford of Manchester United scores their second goal during the UEFA Europa League quarter final second leg match between Manchester United and RSC Anderlecht at Old Trafford on April 20, 2017 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
Pablo Mena

Writer and assistant editor for usports.org. NY Giants and Rangers fan. Film and TV enthusiast (especially Harry Potter and The Office) and lover of foreign languages and cultures.

Recent Posts

WNBA To Continue Transgender Athlete Discussions After 2 Ex-NBA Players Declare for Draft Saying They Now Identify As Women

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert sent a memo to teams Friday afternoon addressing the league's ongoing…

9 hours ago

Rodri Transfer Battle Intensifies As Real Madrid & Barcelona Compete For Spain Star

The race for Rodri has developed into one of the most intriguing transfer battles of…

9 hours ago

Raiders Hold QB Kirk Cousins & Maxx Crosby Out Of Practice a Day After Scuffle

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins and star pass rusher Maxx Crosby were held out…

10 hours ago

Florida State Seminoles 2026-2027 Season Outlook: Schedule, Odds & Tickets

Coming off a disappointing 2–10 campaign in 2024, the Florida State Seminoles entered 2025 expecting…

2 days ago

Roger Craig Uses Hall Of Fame Ceremony To Disclose Vascular Dementia Diagnosis Due To Concussions From His 11-Year Career

Roger Craig turned what should have been a purely celebratory night into a moment of…

2 days ago

Ex-NBA Player Royce White Becomes 2nd Man To Declare For WNBA Draft This Week – But Motivation Is GOP Senate Primary Bid

Royce White, the former NBA first-round pick now running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota, announced…

2 days ago