---
title: "Liverpool face Villarreal in Europa League semi-final"
canonical: "https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/liverpool-faces-villareal-in-europa-league-semi-final/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Fred Haas"
section: "Articles"
published: "2016-04-16T10:24:19Z"
modified: "2016-04-16T10:24:19Z"
---

# Liverpool face Villarreal in Europa League semi-final

After the Reds’ stunning, come from behind 5-4 aggregate win against Borussia Dortmund Thursday night, Liverpool drew Spanish side Villarreal for the Europa League semi-finals.

The first leg is scheduled for April 28 in Spain and a May 5 return at Anfield.

It may have been the best draw Liverpool could have received. Villarreal, currently sitting fourth in La Liga have not beaten an English side in their last 10 attempts. Also, this will be the Reds’ first match against the Yellow Submarine, Villarreal’s Merseyside-inspired nickname, in European competition.

Title holders Sevilla will head to the Ukraine to play Shakhtar Donetsk, seeking their third consecutive trophy.

From a Liverpool perspective, avoiding the defending champions and get the second semi-final leg at home is possibly the best news from Nyon for the club.

In three previous European semi-final matches against Spanish opposition, Liverpool have gone 2-1. The faltered in their last Europa League semi to Atlético Madrid in 2010 on away-goals. Prior to that they topped Barcelona in 2001 and 1976 before continuing on to lift a trophy.