Chelsea and Benfica will be expected to progress and meet in the final in Amsterdam in May, though it won't be plain sailing for either team, with their respective opponents both impressing in their semi-final matches.
UEFA Europa League draw results: The favorites avoid each other
The two Europa League favourites Chelsea and Benfica avoided each other, but still face difficult semi-final ties.
Harold Cunningham
Chelsea -- who made life difficult for themselves against Rubin Kazan in the quarter-finals -- will travel to Switzerland in the first leg, facing a Basel team which impressed in beating Tottenham -- and who probably should have seen them off without having to endure the stress of penalties.
Meanwhile Fenerbahçe were always pretty comfortable against Italian side Lazio, eventually seeing them off 3-1 on aggregate in an impressive defensive return leg performance at the Olimpico. They too will provide stubborn resistance against a Benfica team that saw off Newcastle in the quarters. The Portuguese team will travel to Istanbul for the first leg.
Semi-final draw (25 April & 2 May)
Basel v Chelsea
Fenerbahçe v Benfica
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