SOCCER

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An Abde Ezzalzouli goal sent Real Betis to their first European final, breaking ACF Fiorentina’s hearts with a 2-2 after extra time draw in a dramatic UEFA Conference League (UECL) semi-final second leg at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

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Aston Villa won their seventh Premier League game in eight as they beat Bournemouth 1-0 at the Vitality Stadium to keep themselves firmly in the race for the UEFA Champions League places. With much at stake for both sides, it was a cagey start to the first half.

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Artem Dovbyk’s header was the difference as Roma secured a vital 1-0 win over Fiorentina in Serie A, extending their unbeaten run in home head-to-heads against La Viola to seven matches and moving four points clear of the visitors. With the teams separated by just one point ahead of kick off - and Bologna hosting Juventus later in the afternoon - this was to be a pivotal afternoon in deciding how Serie A’s European positions will look at the end of the season.

Schade extended Brentford's advantage with a second header from close range, this time from a Bryan Mbeumo assist, and the home side added a fourth when Michael Kayode carved through the United defence and set up Yoane Wissa for a composed finish. Garnacho briefly revived United's hopes with a stunning long-range strike, and Amad Diallo made it 4-3 deep into added time, setting up a tense finale. But Brentford held on to secure a crucial win, moving up to ninth in the table, just a point behind eighth-placed Bournemouth. United, meanwhile, remain stuck in 15th with 39 points from 35 games.

United manager Ruben Amorim had heavily rotated his squad ahead of their Europa League semi-final second leg against Athletic Bilbao, with only three players retained from the previous match. But the biggest concern emerged when De Ligt, recently returned from injury, went down clutching his hamstring in the build-up to Brentford's second goal. The Dutchman's discomfort was clear as he left the pitch and headed straight down the tunnel, casting doubt over his availability for the remainder of the season. Amorim admitted post-match that while the immediate priority was Thursday's semi-final, he was more worried about the long-term implications of De Ligt's injury, especially with United already missing key defenders Lisandro Martinez and Diogo Dalot.

For Brentford, the win not only snapped their winless streak but also reinforced their momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. With Schade becoming the third Brentford player to reach double figures in Premier League goals—something no other club has achieved this season—the Bees have found attacking rhythm at the perfect time. Their 62 goals rank among the league's best, only trailing Liverpool, Manchester City, Newcastle, and Arsenal. With upcoming fixtures against Ipswich, Fulham, and Wolves, Brentford's favorable run-in could see them qualify for Europe for the first time since their Anglo-Italian Cup outing in 1992. With this kind of form, few would bet against them.

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Manchester United set up an all-English UEFA Europa League (UEL) final with Tottenham Hotspur after a 4-1 victory against Athletic Club on the night saw the Red Devils progress 7-1 on aggregate and maintain their status as the only unbeaten side in European competition this season.