Europa League 2016: Semi-Final Leg 2 Live Stream, TV Schedule and Predictions
The UEFA Europa League semi-final second legs take centre stage on Thursday night, as Liverpool, Villarreal, Shakhtar Donetsk and Sevilla all vie for a place in the final.
Liverpool performed heroics to see off Borussia Dortmund in the quarter-finals, and they’ll need a similarly spirited performance to overcome Villarreal, who lead 1-0 on aggregate following Adrian Lopez’s late winner in the first leg.
Defending champions Sevilla, meanwhile, are in the driving seat to reach their fifth Europa League final in 11 seasons, having scored two crucial away goals in the 2-2 draw against Shakhtar first time around.
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Here, we look ahead to the two finely poised encounters and predict which sides will emerge victorious.
| Date | Time | Fixture | TV Info | Live Stream |
| Thursday May 5 | 8:05 p.m. BST/3:05 p.m. ET | Liverpool vs. Villarreal | BT Sport Europe (U.K. only) | BT Sport Live (U.K. only) |
| Thursday May 5 | 8:05 p.m. BST/3:05 p.m. ET | Sevilla vs. Shakhtar Donetsk | BT Sport 2 (U.K. only) | BT Sport Live (U.K. only) |
Anfield to Host Another Famous European Night
You only need to look back at recent history to know Liverpool simply can’t be written off after going behind in a European clash.
Trailing 3-1 at home to Dortmund in the last round, the Reds showed all the grit and determination of the 2005 UEFA Champions League-winning side to turn the game on its head and win 4-3.
Now, Jurgen Klopp’s men need to do it again and find a way past Villarreal, who lead 1-0 after the first meeting.
In that game at Estadio El Madrigal, Liverpool set up to frustrate their hosts, and they were a matter of seconds away from taking a 0-0 scoreline back to Anfield before Lopez struck in the dying embers of the match.
Denis Suarez was let in on goal too easily, and he squared the ball intelligently for Lopez to tap home, as BT Sport Football’s video shows:
Liverpool could have won the game themselves had they decided to push for a goal, but 1-0 certainly isn’t a bad result, and the Reds proved they have enough about them to cause Villarreal problems.
In fact, Klopp told BBC Sport’s Juliette Ferrington after the game he expected more of the Yellow Submarine and looks forward to welcoming them to Merseyside:
It’s how the German sets up his side that could prove the difference between winning and losing, as he needs to decide whether to field an attacking lineup or keep a disciplined setup.
Roberto Firmino and Adam Lallana were rested in the 3-1 defeat at Swansea City on Sunday, while Philippe Coutinho was taken off at half-time.
It would be far from a surprise to see Klopp field all three players in a forward-thinking side, yet that opens up the possibility of the Reds being overrun in midfield.
Klopp desperately needs to get his tactics right on the night, but based on his career in the hot seat so far, that’s hardly beyond the realms of possibility.
Liverpool will likely make their fans sweat on the result, but the Europa League final is certainly within their reach.
Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Villarreal
Sevilla Looking for Treble
Should Sevilla find a way to Europa League glory this season, it would be their third triumph in the competition in as many seasons.
They’ve become experts at negotiating the tournament, and the way they performed at Shakhtar Donetsk in the first leg was admirable.
An early goal from Vitolo completely changed Shakhtar’s game plan, and even though the hosts took a 2-1 lead in the match, Sevilla always looked dangerous.
The pressure eventually told when Kevin Gameiro slotted home a penalty in the dying moments of the match to put Sevilla firmly in the driving seat.
Even a 0-0 draw would be good enough to send the Liga side to the final, yet they come into the match off the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Espanyol on Sunday.
Still, manager Unai Emery changed his entire lineup to rest key players for Thursday’s clash, and his side will be fit and raring to go in the semi-final.
Shakhtar are a good side with some talented stars, but Sevilla are too strong in Europe to fall at one of the final hurdles.
The Ukrainians are more than capable of getting a goal to make it interesting, but Emery’s men should once again be in the Europa League final.
Prediction: Sevilla 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
