Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest square off in Europa League
Crystal Palace take on Shakhtar Donetsk in Conference League semis
Strasbourg and Freiburg among other clubs in European action this week
The business end of the club season is approaching across Europe and this week the semi-finals of both the Europa League and Conference League get underway.
Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa in a huge all-British tie in the Europa League, while Crystal Palace are still on course for glory in the Conference League as they prepare to face Shakhtar Donetsk.
We preview all four ties in both competitions and have a score prediction for each first leg.
Europa League
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa (Thursday, 8pm)
This all-Premier League showdown is likely to be a closely-fought affair as both sides aim for a place in a first major European final since the early 1980s.
Villa are 19 points and 11 places above Forest in the Premier League and picked up seven more points than them in the league phase in this competition so are clearly the superior side.
However, in such a high-profile, high-stakes occasion those stats may not matter too much.
In front of a partisan City Ground crowd, the hosts should prosper and can secure a narrow first-leg lead.
Score prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Aston Villa
Sporting Braga vs Freiburg (Thursday, 8pm)
Braga are favourites to claim a first-leg lead at home and they approach the semi-final after their six-game unbeaten run in all competitions was ended on Sunday when they lost 2-1 domestically against Santa Clara.
They have only lost one of their last 14 games at home, so Braga look set to put one foot in the final with a home win over the Germans.
Freiburg were hammered 4-0 by Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga at the weekend and they may well be up against it in Portugal.
Score prediction: Braga 2-0 Freiburg
Conference League
Shakhtar Donetsk vs Crystal Palace (Thursday 8pm)
Crystal Palace have prospered in Europe this season and the Premier League club are favourites in the outright market in the Conference League going into the last four.
However, up against a dangerous Shakhtar outfit who overcame AZ Alkmaar 5-2 in the last eight, they may come unstuck.
This game is being played on neutral territory in Poland, but the Eagles may not necessarily feel the benefit of that.
The Ukrainians were 3-0 winners at this Krakow venue over AZ in the quarters, so Palace, who lost 3-1 at Liverpool on Saturday, should be suitably warned.
Score prediction: Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 Crystal Palace
Rayo Vallecano vs Strasbourg (Thursday, 8pm)
This looks set to be a closely-fought affair in Spain but Strasbourg, who finished top of the league phase standings, can eke out a narrow first-leg lead.
Gary O'Neil's side have impressed in this competition and will not be phased by a trip to Rayo Vallecano, who are mid-table in Spain's LaLiga.
Score prediction: Rayo Vallecano 1-2 Strasbourg
