Europa League semi-finals: What to look out for in the first legs

Braga welcome last-four newcomers Freiburg while there is an all-English tie in Nottingham as the UEFA Europa League semi-finals kick off on Thursday 30 April.

We preview the first-leg action.

Braga vs Freiburg

The story: Braga have reached a continental final before, making it to the 2011 Europa League decider in Dublin, where they lost 1-0 to Portuguese rivals Porto. Plenty has changed since then, but, unbeaten in their last four home games against German sides (W3 D1), the Arsenalistas have plenty to be optimistic about as they welcome Freiburg.

Under Carlos Vicens (formerly Pep Guardiola's assistant at Manchester City), Braga have pulled off some great results in this season's Europa League, not least the 4-2 win at Real Betis that took them into the semis. At their unusual, two-sided home stadium, they can be very tough customers indeed.

Prior to this season, Freiburg had not made it beyond the last 16 of a European competition, but Julian Schuster's side have been over-achieving in the Bundesliga as well as Europe. "It's a very historic moment," said the coach after his side dispatched Celta 6-1 on aggregate in the quarter-finals. "We enjoyed the moment, but we won't stop working. It's just the next step. We will continue and we will work and we'll have this great focus for the next challenges. This is our mentality."

The stat: Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu and defender Matthias Ginter have both disputed 1,080 minutes of Europa League football this season – more than any other players in the semi-finals.

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa

The story: Around 80km celebrates the Premier League sides who will come together in this all-English tie, with both boasting exceptional European credentials. Forest were European Cup winners twice under the late Brian Clough, while Villa won the same trophy in 1982 and are coached by Unai Emery, who has won the Europa League four times: three victories with Sevilla and one at Villarreal.

"I know how difficult it is to win a European trophy," said Emery after his side's quarter-final win against Bologna. "European competition is very important to us, and it's given me so much in my career as a coach. Now I'm trying to experience that with the players and supporters at Aston Villa. [Forest] have a history in Europe as well, because they won the European Cup like Aston Villa, so it is something special for us and for them."

The sides drew 1-1 in Nottingham in April in the Premier League, and while they are at opposite ends of the domestic table, Forest full-back Neco Williams has faith. "It will be a really tough game," he said. "But we have confidence and belief and will go into those games with the aim to win."

The stat: Forest's Igor Jesus is the top scorer left in the competition with seven goals, but Villa have outscored their Midlands neighbours 24-23 in this season's Europa League (despite playing two fewer games).