Europa League Team of the Week: Alcacer's Treble Fires Valencia into Semi-Finals

On a thrilling evening of Europa League quarter-finals, the main highlight came in Valencia as the La Liga side battled back from a 3-0 first leg deficit to beat FC Basel 5-0 on the night after extra time, winning 5-3 on aggregate.

Young forward Paco Alcacer starred with a hat-trick for the hosts, while Basel ended the match with nine men after both Marcelo Diaz and Gaston Sauro were sent off in the first period of extra time.

Elsewhere, Juventus stayed on course to reach the final with a 2-1 win over Lyon in Turin, Benfica eased past AZ Alkmaar to reach the semi-finals and Sevilla overturned a 1-0 first leg loss at Porto to hammer the Portuguese giants 4-1 at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Here's our XI of players who impressed on the night:

Goalkeeper: Beto (Sevilla)

Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images

Portuguese international goalkeeper Beto might not be too popular in his homeland after helping dump one of his country's premier teams out of the Europa League.

The six-times capped stopper was virtually a spectator in the first half as Sevilla dominated and went 3-0 up, but he made a couple of crucial saves from Ricardo Quaresma and Hector Herrera in the second period, as Porto pressed following the red card for Sevilla right-back Coke.

It was virtually one-way traffic after that, bar Kevin Gameiro's goal, with Beto making another fine save from Juan Quintero, before being beaten by a stunning strike from Quaresma in Sevilla's 4-1 win. 

Defence: Joao Pereira (Valencia)

Alberto Saiz

The raiding Portuguese right-back recorded no fewer than four efforts at goal as well as an assist (as per the UEFA website) before departing the field with 10 minutes remaining in extra time in Valencia's epic victory over FC Basel.

Pereira was always an option when his side were attacking, and in reality, he played more like a winger on a night when the fans in the Mestalla were left shell-shocked by their side's comeback.

An experienced player at 30 years old, even Pereira can't have seen many evenings like this.

Defence: Federico Fazio (Sevilla)

Toni Rodriguez

If Argentina's Federico Fazio is using Sevilla's run in the Europa League in order to gain attention from admiring suitors, with the Mirror reporting this week that Liverpool are keen, then he is certainly going the right way about it.

The 6'5" centre-back was excellent against Porto, when he was able to cast admiring glances at the work done by the more forward-thinking players in his team in the first half, before proving solid at the back in the second.

He was even unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet as his header passed narrowly over the crossbar in the second half.

Defence: Luisao (Benfica)

Giuseppe Bellini/Getty Images

This was a comfortable evening for the Benfica defender and captain Luisao, who enjoyed himself in the previous round with two goals against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

Against AZ Alkmaar, the Brazilian international managed to make it through the entire 90 minutes without conceding a foul (as per the UEFA website), an indication of how comfortable the Portuguese giants had things against their Dutch opponents.

Having now been at Benfica for over a decade, the 33-year-old will be desperate to lift the Europa League trophy in Turin next month.

Defence: Juan Bernat (Valencia)

Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Like his colleague Pereira on the other flank, Valencia's 21-year-old left-back Juan Bernat was crucial for his side as they sought the width and creativity they so sorely needed to overcome Basel and their three-goal advantage.

Of course, they managed to do just that in the end, with Bernat sprinting through to add the gloss to Valencia's night with a fine finish just two minutes from the end of extra time.

Viewed as the successor to Jordi Alba at Valencia, Bernat looks to have a bright future.

Midfield: Andrea Pirlo (Juventus)

Claudio Villa/Getty Images

Does the bearded wonder ever not make it into these things?

It took Andrea Pirlo just four minutes to stamp his undoubted class all over Juventus' second leg against Lyon, scoring with a delicious and trademark free-kick as Juve took another step towards reaching the Europa League final in their own stadium, which will be held five days before the playmaker turns 35.

Pirlo and his team-mates are now just one round away from that final, and there would be few more deserving winners than the classy Italian who looks certain to be a crucial performer at the forthcoming World Cup.

Midfield: Ivan Rakitic (Sevilla)

Angel Fernandez

As ever, the Croatian Ivan Rakitic was superb in midfield in Sevilla's thumping 4-1 victory over Porto in southern Spain, with the captain giving his team the lead with his early strike from the penalty spot.

Rakitic dominated in midfield throughout Sevilla's masterful first-half display, and he was unfortunate not to add to his goal tally as he watched strikes from Vitolo, Carlos Bacca and Kevin Gameiro shoot his side into the semi-finals.

Now in his fourth year at Sevilla, the 26-year-old might be hard to hold onto if he keeps up this kind of form.

Midfield: Claudio Marchisio (Juventus)

Claudio Villa/Getty Images

It eventually went down as an own goal from Samuel Umtiti, but the effort from Claudio Marchisio that deflected in to give Juventus a 2-1 lead against Lyon proved to be a pivotal moment.

Until then, their French visitors were seriously threatening to upset the home side, but at a time when the next goal could have put Lyon through on away goals, reliable midfielder Marchisio once again stepped forward for his side.

The 28-year-old has developed into one of the most dependable midfielders in Europe during the last few years in Turin and with the Italian national team, and as Juve seek to reach the final in their own ground, he is sure to be crucial to their hopes.

Attack: Rodrigo (Benfica)

Francisco Seco

After impressing in the last round against Tottenham, Benfica forward Rodrigo was at it again as Benfica easily brushed aside AZ Alkmaar to reach the semi-finals.

Spanish Under-23 international Rodrigo scored either side of half-time as the Dutch side were beaten 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate by the Eagles, who look to have hit good form and will be a team that all of the other semi-finalists will be looking to avoid in the next round.

Last season's beaten finalists will be desperate to make up for their last-minute heartbreak at the hands of Chelsea in Amsterdam, and with Rodrigo in this sort of form, they'll have every chance.

Attack: Paco Alcacer (Valencia)

Alberto Saiz

On a stunning night in Valencia, the hosts overcame a 3-0 first-leg deficit to beat FC Basel 5-3 on aggregate and make their way into the semi-finals.

Key to that victory was forward Paco Alcacer, who scored twice in normal time and then completed his hat-trick in extra time, as Basel ended the match with nine men.

Alcacer's two finishes during the 90 minutes in particular were wonderful to behold, and the U-21 Spanish international won't be forgetting this night in a hurry.

Attack: Carlos Bacca (Sevilla)

Miguel Angel Morenatti

Sevilla's fast start proved too much for Porto at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, with Colombian forward Carlos Bacca leading from the front.

Bacca won the penalty from which Ivan Rakitic gave the La Liga side an early lead to cancel out Porto's first leg advantage. And after Vitolo doubled the advantage with a neat finish, Bacca's fine control and finish made it 3-0 before half-time and left the Portuguese club with a mountain to climb.

The 27-year-old forward Bacca, who joined Sevilla from Club Brugge in the summer, recently hit the headlines by scoring both goals in a 2-1 La Liga win over Real Madrid, and has been linked with moves to both Barcelona and Everton (Sky Sports).