The UEFA Europa League semifinals are here, with four teams preparing to do battle in the penultimate stage of this beloved competition.
Bayer Leverkusen, led by the in-demand manager Xabi Alonso, are the talk of the town and everyone's favorite to win this tournament. However, the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions are not the only team vying to follow in the footsteps of last season's winners Sevilla and lift the title.
The two semifinals will take place on Thursday and will kick off at 3 p.m. ET. Here is everything you need to know ahead of the first-leg ties.
Broadcast information for the UEFA Europa League in the USA
CBS Sports offers a multiplatform coverage of the 2023-24 UEFA Europa League season, with Paramount+ streaming all the games in this competition — as well as the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa Conference League — live for fans in the USA. Select matches will also be available on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network, the free 24-hour football streaming network.
TelevisaUnivision also has broadcasting rights for European football, which means fans in the USA will get Spanish-language coverage of the UEFA Europa League through TUDN USA, Univision, UniMás, and ViX.
UEFA Europa League semifinal match-ups
- Marseille vs. Atalanta
- Roma vs. Leverkusen
Preview
Marseille vs. Atalanta
After shocking the entire world and knocking out Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League quarterfinals, many expect Atalanta to go all the way or, at the very least, reach the final. However, while the Serie A outfit should aspire to achieve this feat, they must first overcome a Marseille side that pulled off a memorable comeback against Benfica in the previous round.
The French heavyweights traveled to Lisbon for the first leg of that quarterfinal showdown but were beaten 2-1, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang getting the crucial away goal. The Ligue 1 heavyweights then emerged victorious in the reverse fixture, winning 1-0 to force the game into extra time and – eventually – penalties, with Marseille winning on spot kicks.
However, Atalanta's unforgettable 3-0 victory at Anfield will override any other sentiment. After thrashing one of Europe's greatest teams in their own backyard, fans will expect Gian Piero Gasperini's men to pull off something similar at the Stade Vélodrome. Atalanta lost 1-0 in the second leg against Liverpool but ultimately won 3-1 on aggregate and will be in for another tricky showdown this Thursday.
Roma vs. Leverkusen
Could Leverkusen complete the treble? This is the question on many people's minds as the Bundesliga champions look to add the DFB Pokal and, more importantly, the UEFA Europa League titles to their cabinet. However, before they can even think about the final in Dublin, Xabi Alonso's high-flying side must first overcome Roma in the standout semifinal fixture.
The German champions reached this stage courtesy of a crucial quarterfinal victory over West Ham, who were also one of the favorites for the title. Wirtz and Co. triumphed 2-0 in the first leg at BayArena before heading to the London Stadium for the reverse fixture, drawing 1-1 in the English capital to win 3-1 on aggregate. However, Xabi's men were put to the test at West Ham, with many arguing that Leverkusen were fortunate not to lose in the second leg. The visitors must be wary of that occurring at the Stadio Olimpico.
Roma, on the other hand, have been sensational since appointing Daniele de Rossi as the successor to Jose Mourinho, with the former Giallorossi bringing the club back into the mix for UEFA Champions League football. Additionally, he led the club past Brighton and AC Milan in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 and quarterfinals, beating the Seagulls 4-1 and the Rossoneri 3-1 on aggregate. However, Dybala and Co. are not in the best form right now, having won only once in their last three outings thanks to a defeat against Bologna and draw with Napoli. Do not miss their showdown with the Bundesliga champions.
Who's in and who's out?
Here are the players unavailable for the UEFA Europa League semifinals:
Marseille: Bamo Meite, Bilal Nadir, Chancel Mbemba, Quentin Merlin, and Valentin Rongier (injured); Samuel Gigot (suspended)
Atalanta: Emil Holm and Rafael Toloi (injured); Isak Hien (suspended)
Roma: Chris Smalling and Romelu Lukaku (injured); Zeki Celik (suspended)
Leverkusen: Borje Iglesias (injured); Jonathan Tah and Adam Hlozek (doubtful)
TV details and live streaming info for the UEFA Europa League semifinals (1st leg)
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