The semi-finalists of this season's Europa League were determined on a dramatic night of football this evening.
Valencia created history by becoming the first team to recover from a 3-0 deficit in the first leg, eventually beating nine-man Basel 5-0 after extra time in an incredible encounter at the Mestalla.
Sevilla also fought back from a first-leg defeat to beat Porto, winning 4-1 on the night and 4-2 on aggregate despite being reduced to 10 men less than 10 minutes into the second half.
Juventus and Benfica eased past Lyon and AZ respectively, setting up an intriguing final four.
You can read how all of the quarter-finals unfolded on an action-packed night courtesy of Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage below.
Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for coverage of tonight's Europa League quarter-final second legs. All four ties have one side in the driving seat as things stand, so we should be in for an interesting evening as the trailing teams look to overturn their respective deficits to earn a place in the semi-finals. Let's start with a look at the matches on offer tonight...
Tonight's matches, with the first-leg result in brackets:
Benfica (1)vs.(0)AZ;
Juventus (1)vs.(0) Lyon;
Valencia (0)vs.(3) Basel;
Sevilla (0)vs.(1) Porto
As you can see from those aggregate scorelines, there is plenty to be decided tonight. Three teams have just the one goal to overhaul, while Valencia will be looking to use their home advantage to turn their tie against Basel around. This competition rarely fails to deliver in terms of talking points, so there are no foregone conclusions just yet.
One side that will be particularly interested in reaching the final this season is Juventus. The disappointment of being knocked out of the Champions League may just have subsided by now, and with the final scheduled to take place at their own stadium, they have a really good chance of going all the way in this competition. With the league title all but sewn up, that would be a very good double for Antonio Conte.
There are plenty of other teams capable of winning this competition this season, however, and that is shown by the calibre of some of the sides that have failed to reach this stage. The likes of Tottenham, Fiorentina and Napoli have all fallen by the wayside.
Right, we have 55 minutes until kickoff in our Europa League ties tonight, so let's take a more in-depth look at the games that are taking place...
BENFICA VS. AZ: First up is a trip to Portugal as Benfica host AZ looking to progress to the semi-finals of a tournament that they reached the final of last season. They were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea in the final on that occasion, but are so far yet to taste defeat in this year's tournament. Having entered via the Champions League, they have seen off PAOK 4-0 on aggregate and Tottenham 5-3 on aggregate.
The tie is currently in their hands following their 1-0 win in the first leg, with Eduardo Silva getting the only goal of last week's game. The away leg was also going to be tougher for Benfica, so victory there has put them well on track for the last four. At home, they have not lost in their last 44 matches, with a 2-0 defeat to Barcelona in October 2012 the last time the Benfica fans saw their side defeated at the Stadium of Light.
Home and away, their record is also very impressive. They have been beaten just once in their last 31 matches in all competitions, winning 27 of them. They did come close to defeat at the hands of Tottenham in the last round, but a penalty in second-half stoppage protected their long record. Unsurprisingly, they are top of their domestic lead and on course for the title, with a seven-point lead over second.
Things aren't going quite as well for AZ, however. They have only won one of their last seven matches in all competitions, scoring is just three of those games. To stand any chance of going through tonight, they will need to find the back of the net, but that is easier said than done against a team that has conceded just once in their last five games.
They are currently seventh in the Eredivisie, nine points off an automatic Europa League qualifying place - although they are currently in the playoff positions for a spot in this competitions next season. They have not won in their last five away matches and have only been victorious seven times on their travels all season.
However, they are unbeaten in their last six away games in the Europa League, a run that stretches back to August 2012. They beat Slovan Liberec and Anzhi to reach this stage having finished top of Group L, while their defeat in the first leg was their first in 11 Europa League games.
PREDICTION: I can't see past a Benfica win in this match. The onus will not be on them to attack given their aggregate lead, but they still have the ability to add a few more goals tonight, particularly at home. AZ haven't been in great form while Benfica are formidable in front of their own fans, so I'm going for a 2-0 home victory.
JUVENTUS VS. LYON: Juventus were installed as tournament favourites the moment they crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Galatasaray, and it is hard to see past them right now. The Old Lady take a 1-0 aggregate lead into this season leg, although they left it late in France last week, with Leonardo Bonucci scoring the only goal of the game in the 84th minute.
The reigning Serie A champions go into tonight's match in good form having only been beaten once in their last 17 matches in all competitions. What's more, their defensive record is formidable too, having conceded just four times in their last 13 outings. Another clean sheet tonight would see them progress into the semi-finals, although Conte is unlikely to be playing for a goalless draw.
They are well on their way to winning another league title this season, with eight points separating them from Roma in second as things stand. With just six games of the campaign remaining, it is hard to see Juve being caught now, and they can afford to pour all of their efforts into this competition with the league all but sewn up.
A worrying factor for Lyon is Juventus' fine home record this season. They are unbeaten in their last 25 matches at the Juventus Stadium in all competitions, with their last defeat in front of their own fans coming exactly one year ago today when Bayern Munich won 2-0 in a Champions League tie. Indeed, Bayern are the only team to have beatn Juventus at home in Europe since March 2004, while they have never lost a home game in this competition.
Lyon, meanwhile, have lost four of their last six games in all competitions and sit fifth in Ligue 1, four points off fourth and a Europa League qualifying spot. They finished top of Group I this season before squeezing past Chornomorets in the last 32 and Viktoria Plzen in the last 16.
They have now lost back-to-back Europa League matches having only lost one of their previous 17 before that. In terms of away form, they have only lost one of their last seven matches on the road in all competitions, but it is a different story in the Europa League, where they have won just one of their last seven.
PREDICTION: Again, a home win is the clear choice in this match and I can't see it going any other way. Lyon almost managed a draw in the first leg but they will find it a lot tougher away from home and Juventus should progress fairly comfortably in the end. No team has beaten them here in a year and I don't expect that run to end tonight. 2-0 to the hosts.
VALENCIA VS. BASEL: The most convincing win of the first-leg matches went to Basel, who thrashed Valencia 3-0 to put one foot in the semi-finals. No team has ever recovered from such a big first-leg deficit in this competition, so if Valencia are to pull off a minor miracle at the Mestalla then they will create a small slice of history in the process.
However, they come into this match having not won any of their last four matches and failed to score in their last two. They finished top of Group A in this competition before going on to beat Dynamo Kiev 2-0 in the last 32 and Ludogorets 4-0 in the last 16. If they can repeat their 3-0 success they had in their first leg against Ludogorets, then they would force extra time tonight.
Valencia have only lost once at home so far in 2014, but that defeat came in their last outing as Getafe eased to a 3-1 victory. They are prone to the odd poor result, as also shown by their 3-0 defeat at the hands of Swansea earlier this season, but an early goal would really raise their belief that they may be able to overhaul what is a substantial deficit.
It would be some feat if they manage to do that against a side that has not lost in 18 matches since December 18. Indeed, Basel have only been beaten three times in their 48 games this season, and two of those losses came at the hands of Schalke in the Champions League.
While many will claim that the Swiss league is not as competitive as La Liga, Basel have shown flashes of what they are capable of in Europe too, most notably completing a double over Chelsea in the Champions League group stages. They have kept five clean sheets in a row and have only conceded one goal in their last eight games - although 14 league draws already this season mean that they are just one point clear at the top of the Super League.
Their away form in all competitions is very impressive having lost just once in their last 24 games on the road - a run that includes the victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. However, in the Europa League their away win over Salzburg in the last 16 was their first in the competition for 11 matches.
PREDICTION: Valencia really have a mountain to climb in this match, and they didn't show many signs of being able to do it in the first leg. With Basel not needing to take any risks tonight, I can't see them blowing such a comprehensive victory. Valencia may be victorious on the night, but the Swiss side should be in the hat for the semi-finals. I will go for a 2-1 win to Valencia.
SEVILLA VS. PORTO Perhaps the most finely poised of all the quarter-finals sees Sevilla host Porto trailing their Iberian rivals by one goal to nil. The fact that Porto's only came away with a 1-0 win at home will give Sevilla plenty of confidence that they can go on and win this tie, and I wouldn't bet against them doing so.
Sevilla have lost just three times in their last 14 matches and just twice in their last 16 in the Europa League. However, both of those defeats have come recently, including, of course, last week's loss in the first leg of this tie. They finished top of Group H before beating Maribor 4-3 and squeezing past Betis on penalties in the last 16.
They are still in the hunt for a Champions League place in La Liga, sitting as they do six points off fourth-placed Bilbao. They have hit a good spell of form at home, too, having only lost one of their last seven homes games in all competitions, winning five of them. That defeat did come in the Europa League, however, as Betis won their first leg 2-0.
Porto, meanwhile, have lost just once in their last six matches in all competitions and have kept three clean sheets in their last five. All of those clean sheets have come in 1-0 victories for the Portuguese side, and another one of them tonight would see them safely through to the semi-finals.
However, they are enduring a disappointing season domestically, sitting third in the league and a whopping 15 points of top of the table. They have not won any of their last five away games and have just one win in their last nine on the road in all competitions. They beat Frankfurt and, impressively, Napoli to reach this stage, but they were not victorious in the away leg of either of those games.
PREDICTION: This really is a tough one to call. Porto are not the force that they once were, while Sevilla can be very good on their day but ineffective when not at their best. The Spaniard's will be confident of getting the victory tonight, but it will also be important to make sure that Porto don't score an away goal. I think it could be 2-1 to Sevilla on the night, sending Porto through on away goals.
KICKOFF: And we're off! Three of the four games are now underway for the second leg of the Europa League quarter-finals. Valencia and Basel are delayed momentarily, but they should begin in the next couple of minutes.
Sure enough, we're underway in all four games now. There is an early blow for Benfica, however, as Silvio has picked up an injury in just the second minute and is forced off the field. Andre Almeida comes on as his replacement.
GOAL! Juventus 1-0 Lyon (Andrea Pirlo)
GOAL! Sevilla 1-0 Porto (Ivan Rakitic)
The goals are flowing early tonight! Juventus are the first to break the deadlock as Andrea Pirlo fires a trademark free kick past the keeper moments after Carlos Tevez had hit an effort of his own narrowly over the top. It has been a really quick start from the Serie A champions.
Sevilla have also made a good start in their match, levelling things on aggregate after just five minutes courtesy of an Ivan Rakitic penalty. Danilo was the man penalised for the visitors, who now find themselves needing an away goal or facing the prospect of extra time at least.
Moments before that Sevilla goal, the hosts had come close through Carlos Bacca, who weaved his way through the defence but could not finish when one-on-one with the keeper. They needed an early goal in that game and it is exactly what they have got.
Benfica are threatening to extend their aggregate lead at the Stadium of Light, with Oscar Cardozo going close from the edge of the box. Esteban Alvarado made the save in the AZ goal, however, turning the effort behind for a corner.
It is Valencia who are applying most of the pressure at the Mestalla, as expected. An early goal would do their chances of pulling off a historic turnaround the world of good, and they are really pushing for one. Basel are holding firm so far, however.
As I say that, Basel come close to getting an early goal of their own and really killing the tie off. Serey Die let fly from distance and got plenty on his effort, but it zipper just over the crossbar. One goal for the visitors there would leave Valencia needing five.
As a reminder, we are currently on course for extra time in the Sevilla vs. Porto match thanks to the La Liga side's early goal, but we can no longer have extra time in the Juventus game. Lyon need two goals in Turin, and if they can get them without conceding again then they would go through on the away goals rule.
GOAL! Juventus 1-1 Lyon (Jimmy Briand)
Well, there is one of them! Could Lyon be on course for a stunning comeback victory over the tournament favourites Juventus? They are halfway there courtesy of a header from Jimmy Briand that went in off the post. One more goal without reply for the visitors would send them through. It is now 2-1 to Juventus on aggregate.
Sevilla have come close to a second goal, which would double their lead on the night and give them the advantage on aggregate. This time it was Jose Antonio Reyes who went close, drawing a good stop from Fabiano in the Porto goal. Still 1-0 there and 1-1 on aggregate.
The first yellow card of the evening has gone to Steven Berghuis of AZ Alkmaar, who are still trailing Benfica 1-0 on aggregate. The Portuguese side are having the better of that match so far, but they will be keen to get a goal to give themselves a bit of breathing space.
Nice play from Quaresma for Porto as he dances past two defenders before letting fly from just outside the box. His shot is turned behind for a corner, which comes to nothing for the Portuguese side.
GOAL! Sevilla 2-0 Porto (Victor Vitolo)
Huge goal for Sevilla as they overhaul their first-leg deficit to take the lead on aggregate within half an hour. It is Vitolo who gets the goal this time, firing his effort into the bottom corner from close range to double his side's lead on the night. We can no longer have extra time in that match, and Porto have it all to do.
Still goalless at the Mestalla, when Valencia need three goals without reply just to force extra time against Basel. There have been a couple of cards in that match, however, with Behrang Safari of Basel and Sofiane Feghouli of Valencia going into the book.
GOAL! Sevilla 3-0 Porto (Carlos Bacca)
Incredible scenes as Sevilla get a third goal against Porto after just 30 minutes! They have well and truly turned that tie around and are now very much in the driving seat. Carlos Bacca is the man who has extended his side's lead even further, firing a low shot in from just outside the box to leave Porto needing two goals without reply to progress on away goal.
We almost had another turnaround at the Juventus Stadium there as Maxime Gonalons went for goal from the edge of the box, only to be denied by a fine Gianluigi Buffon stop. That game remains 1-1 on the night, but if Lyon were to score again then they would be going through on away goals.
Porto look to be getting frustrated now if their recent flurry of yellow cards is anything to go by. Eliaquim Mangala, Silvestre Varela and Ricardo Quaresma have all gone into the book in the space of three minutes, while Coke of Sevilla has also been shown a yellow.
Benfica almost break the deadlock against AZ Alkmaar as Oscar Cardozo fires an effort towards the bottom corner, but he is denied by a good low stop by the keeper. Still goalless on the night there and 1-0 to Benfica on aggregate.
Another decent chance for Benfica as Eduardo Salvio rises highest in the area to get his head on a cross, only to put his effort over the crossbar. It was Salvio who scored the only goal of that tie so far, doing so just after the break in the first leg..
No sign so far of Valencia pulling off a miracle at the Mestalla. The Spaniards are seeing plenty of the ball, as you would expect, but Basel are holding firm at the moment. Three goals in 90 minutes was a hard enough task, but three in 45 is surely mission impossible for Valencia?
GOAL! Benfica 1-0 AZ (Rodrigo)
GOAL! Valencia 1-0 Basel (Alcacer Paco)
Well, there is one of the goals for Valencia! Below grows in Spain as they pull a goal back courtesy of Paco's composed finish having been found by Joao Pereira. Two more will force extra time for the hosts there - could they do it? Remember, no side has ever come from 3-0 down to win in Europa League history.
Benfica, meanwhile, now have one foot firmly planted in the semi-finals having doubled their aggregate lead. Eduardo Salvio, scorer in the first leg, turned provider this time as he set up Rodrigo to finish from close range. AZ now need two goals at the Stadium of Light to progress.
GOAL! Valencia 2-0 Basel (Eduardo Vargas)
The comeback is very much on now! Valencia score a second in the space of five minutes at the end of the first half to put them within one goal of forcing extra time. This time it is Vargas who gets the goal, nodding in Cartabia's corner just moments after his initial header had won the set piece. What a turnaround this would be!
Benfica seem to be very much in control against AZ at the moment, almost double their lead on the night through Salvio and he hits a fine effort from the edge of the box that is saved by the keeper. It looks like being a log way back for AZ against a side with such a formidable home record.
HALF TIME: Juventus 1-1 Lyon
HALF TIME: Valencia 2-0 Basel
HALF TIME: Sevilla 3-0 Porto
HALF TIME: Benfica 1-0 AZ
Well, well, well, what an action-packed 45 minutes that was around Europe. We have had at least one goal in every game and three of them are very finely posied. We are all set for a cracking set half, that's for sure.
There really is only one place to start, and that is at the Mestalla where Valencia are two third of their way to a historic comeback against Basel. Having lost the first leg 3-0, they scored twice in five minutes at the end of the first half to make it 3-2 on aggregate. One more goal without reply for the Spanish side would force extra time, but they may even be confident of getting the job done within 90 minutes after that first half!
There must be something in the air in Spain tonight as there has also been plenty of drama in Seville, where Sevilla are 3-0 up against Porto. The La Liga outfit went into that match 1-0 down on aggregate but quickly got rid of that deficit before building a lead of their own. Porto now need to score twice without conceding again to progress through to the semi-finals.
There is also a very intriguing situation developing in Turin, where Juventus are currently being held to a 1-1 draw with Lyon. As things stand, that would be enough for the Italian giants, but they would have been envisioning an easier evening when Andrea Pirlo gave them an early lead. One more goal for Lyon without reply would see the Ligue 1 side dump the favourites out on away goals.
In the final match tonight, Benfica are looking pretty comfortable against AZ at the moment. They lead 1-0 on the night and 2-0 on aggregate, leaving AZ needing to score twice without conceding again to progress. Considering that Benfica have only conceded once in their last five matches and are unbeaten in 44 at home, that seems highly unlikely.
So, Benfica look well placed to progress, while Sevilla have turned things around to also put themselves in the driving seat. Juventus will still fancy their chances but Lyon have looked capable of getting that second goal. Anything could happen in the Valencia game, meanwhile. A goal for Basel would leave Valencia needing to score five times, so attack could well be the best form of defence for the visitors now.
KICKOFF: We're back underway in Turin for the second half, and the other three games should follow shortly. A big 45 minutes coming up!
Immediately, Leonardo Bonucci goes into the book for Juventus. Not the greatest start to the second half for the defender, who of course scored the only goal in the first leg last week.
We're now also back underway in Valencia and Seville, and there have been a couple of half-time changes for Porto in the latter game. Carlos Eduardo and Silvestre Varela make way and Juan Quintero and Pereira Ricardo come on.
Benfica complete the set in getting started for the second half. Meanwhile, Porto have clearly received the hairdryer treatment at the break and have set about trying to reduce their two-goal aggregate deficit. Nabil Ghilas has just had a chance to shoot from inside the box, but he puts his effort over the bar.
Juventus are dominating the early exchanges of the second half in Turin as they look for a second goal that would leave Lyon once again needing two to progress. No way through for the Serie A leaders so far, however.
Porto are really pushing for a goal back at the start of the second ha;f, Quaresma has just fired a free kick towards the top corner that drew a decent save from the keeper, who turned it behind for a corner. The resulting set piece comes to nothing, however, as the defence clear the danger.
Kwadwo Asamoah goes for goal for Juventus, firing a long-range effort towards goal that Anthony Lopes saves for Lyon. Meanwhile Basel make a change against Valencia as Delgado, scorer of two goals in the first leg, is replaced by Giovanni Sio.
How costly could this miss prove to be?! Valencia should be three up and finally level on aggregate as Eduardo Vargas sees his initial effort from close range saved before putting the rebound against the post! The hosts were mere inches away from completing the historic comeback!
RED CARD! Coke (Sevilla)
A lifeline for Porto! Sevilla are reduced to 10 men as Coke picks up his second yellow card of the match, meaning that the hosts will now have to hold out for more than half an hour. They do have a two-goal cushion, but Porto will surely pile the pressure on now.
Quintero and Quaresma have both threatened twice for Porto in the last few minutes as they push for one goal back against Sevilla. Meanwhile, Reyes has been hauled off for the hosts to be replaced by Diogo Figueras as a result of that red card.
Fernando Llorente is on for Juventus in place of Mirko Vucinic as the tournament favourites look for the goal which could put their tie with Lyon to bed. It remains 1-1 on the night a 2-1 to Juve on aggregate. Basel have also made a change in their match, bringing off David Degen for Naser Aliji.
If AZ are to get back into their match against Benfica, they need to take their chances. They don't do so on this occasion, with Roy Beerens firing the ball just wide from the edge of the box. That was a waste!
Porto, meanwhile, are still turning the screw against Sevilla and again come close through Quaresma, who fires another effort just inches wide. Moments later they make their final change of the night as Kelvin replaces Danilo.
Basel almost grab a goal that would surely kill off any hopes Valencia have of progressing. It was Marcelo Diaz who had the shot, firing a free kick whistling past the post. Fabian Schar then gets himself booked for the visitors, who still trail 2-0 on the night.
GOAL! Juventus 2-1 Lyon (Claudio Marchisio)
Could this goal be enough to send Juventus through? Claudio Marchisio restores his side's two-goal aggregate advantage by drilling an effort into the bottom corner from long range. Lyon would now need two goals without reply to progress.
GOAL! Valencia 3-0 Basel (Alcacer Paco)
Valencia have done it! Paco, who came close with an effort just four minutes ago, makes it 3-0 on the night and levels things up on aggregate with a thumping effort from the edge of the box that goes in off the crossbar. If Valencia can go on to win this match, it would be the biggest comeback in Europa League history - as things stand will we have extra time at the Mestalla.
GOAL! Benfica 2-0 AZ Alkmaar (Rodrigo)
A second goal of the evening for Benfica all but secures their place in the semi-finals. Again it was Salvio created the chance, lifting the ball into the area for Rodrigo to fire home. That is now 2-0 on the night and 3-0 on aggregate. AZ would need three goals to go through, so we can safely assume that Benfica will be in the hat for the semis now.
Time is really beginning to run out for Porto, who have had plenty of shots tonight but have not been able to register on the scoresheet. They still need two goals without reply, and they now just have 15 minutes to get them.
Buffon denies Bafetimbi Gomis in Turin to protect his side's lead, while Carlos Tevez makes way for the hosts moments later. His long wait for a European goal continues.
GOAL! Sevilla 4-0 Porto (Kevin Gameiro)
That is surely game over for Porto now as Sevilla score a fourth goal on what is turning out to be a cracking evening's work for them. It is Gameiro who gets the latest goal, reacting quickest to a rebound to slot the ball past the keeper and make it 4-1 on aggregate. Porto would need three goals in the final 10 minutes to go through now.
It is worth remembering that Sevilla are down to 10 men in that match, which makes that scoreline even more impressive. Will they be joined by another Spanish team? It is still 3-0 at the Mestalla and we are eight minutes from extra time there.
Speaking of that game, Valencia have just received a blow in that Jeremy Mathieu has suffered an injury and has been forced to come off. Ricardo Costa replaces him for the final eight minutes of normal time, and possibly longer should neither side score before the final whistle.
AZ are not giving up against Benfica just yet, with Johann Gudmundsson forcing Artur into a save from the edge of the box. The visitors have now made all three of their changes and still trail Benfica 3-0 on aggregate.
All eyes are currently on the Mestalla, with the results of the other three games more or less sewn up. I can say with a degree of certainty that Juventus, Benfica and Sevilla will be three of the names in the hat for the semis, but the fourth is still up for grabs. Valencia have had nine shots on target to Basel's two tonight, but one goal for the visitors now would kill the tie.
Salvio has a good chance to extend Benfica's lead as he latches on to a lofted ball into the box, but Alvarado was equal to his effort. In Turin, Sebastian Giovinco has also just squandered a good opening, firing his effort high over the top.
Oh my word what a chance for Valencia to complete the comeback! In the 89th minute Paco sees his effort from inside the box very well saved by the keeper while Vargas can't steer the rebound on target! That would have been a fairytale end to a remarkable match for the hosts.
Three additional minutes at the Mestalla. Will there be any late, late drama?
FULL TIME: Juventus 2-1 Lyon (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate)
GOAL! Sevilla 4-1 Porto (Ricardo Quaresma)
Quaresma pulls a late goal back for Porto, but it is not going to be enough for them. It was a lovely finish from the winger as he curled his effort into the top corner, but it is a mere consolation goal.
END OF 90 MINUTES: Valencia 3-0 Basel (3-3 on aggregate)
FULL TIME: Benfica 2-0 AZ Alkmaar (Benfica win 3-0 on aggregate)
FULL TIME: Sevilla 4-1 Porto (Sevilla win 4-2 on aggregate)
So Sevilla, Juventus and Benfica make up three quarters of our Europa League semi-finalists, but who will the fourth team be? Valencia have already made history in forcing extra time against Basel, but they still need to complete the job. There will be 30 minutes of extra time to play and, if nothing changes, we will have penalties.
KICKOFF! We're back underway for the third time at the Mestalla between Valencia and Basel. We will have at least 30 minutes more football in Spain, but however long it takes we will guide you through it here.
Alcacer and Vargas both go down inside the area in quick succession of each other, but the referee waves away the half-hearted penalty claims on both occasions. He is right to do so as well.
CHANCE! Huge chance for the hosts to get a fourth as Parejo makes a late run into the box to latch on to a pull back, but his shot is saved at the near post by the keeper. Sommer has had a superb game between the sticks for Basel tonight, despite the scoreline.
In truth, Valencia will be wondering how they've been held to extra time in this match. They began the match 3-0 behind on aggregate but have had so many chances that they could and should have put this tie to bed before now. It will be a big chance blown if they don't end up progressing into the semis here.
YELLOW CARD! Keita goes into the book for a mistimed challenge on Serey Die inside the Valencia half. Basel have a chance to pack the area here.
The free kick comes to nothing as Basel again fail to threaten. The Valencia keeper has had very little to do tonight as his side have dominated. His first real test could end up coming in a penalty shootout!
RED CARD! Marcelo Diaz (Basel)
Basel's task gets even harder as Diaz is shown a straight red card for a moment of madness. He was blocked from getting past by Jonas and proceeded to kick out at his man. The referee is right to dismiss him, but it was such a needless action from the Basel man. His side are really up against it now.
Basel have 20 minutes or so to hold on with just 10 men, but after such an energy-sapping match in which they have spent the majority of the time chasing the ball, the absence of that one man could prove to be vital. The visitors will be praying for penalties now - who would have thought that before the game?!
YELLOW CARD! Vargas is shown a yellow for an off-the-ball incident with Sauro. The ball was at the other end of the field there, so the ref did well to spot it.
RED CARD! Gaston Sauro (Basel)
Oh my word, Basel are imploding here! They are reduced to nine men as Sauro dives into a reckless challenge on Feghouli to pick up his second yellow. It was in fact Sauro who was booked for that off-the-ball incident a second ago, so that is two yellow in the space of a minute. Madness.
SAVE! Another important save from Sommer as he turns Alcacer's effort round the post. This is hard to keep up with at the moment!
HALF TIME IN EXTRA TIME: Valencia 3-0 Basel
KICKOFF: We're back underway again at the Mestalla, and Basel have 15 minutes to hold on. The visitors are down to nine men and have been battered all game by a Valencia side who started the night 3-0 down on aggregate. Incredible match.
YELLOW CARD! Xhaka becomes the latest man in the book for a foul that gives Valencia a free kick in a good position. The card count is really adding up now.
Basel threaten to come forward but Sio gives the ball away far too easily. The visitors just need to keep hold of it right now as Valencia are asking all the question when they have possession.
Confusion on the touchline as Piatti looks set to come on but is then dragged back at the last second as Pizzi seemingly changes his mind.
CLOSE! Oh my word, Serey Die comes within inches of giving Basel the most unlikely of goals that would surely kill this tie off. His deflected effort flew inches past the post. You don't come much closer without scoring!
VALENCIA SUB: That Valencia change eventually does come as Piatti replaces Pereira.
GOAL! Valencia 4-0 Basel (Paco Alcacer)
Valencia have their fourth goal and finally they are ahead on aggregate! You can't say that it hasn't been coming. Piatti, who has just come on as a sub, sends a low ball to the front post for Alcacer to tap home from close range for his hat-trick. Cue wild celebration in the stands and on the pitch.
YELLOW CARD! Alcacer went into the book for his celebration after that goal, while Bernat has also just been cautioned for a wild linge. This is non-stop action at the Mestalla.
Valencia are now three minutes away from the semi-finals of the Europa League, but a goal for Basel would be enough to send them through at this stage. I wouldn't put it past the visitors in this match - it has been one of the most action-packed games I have ever seen.
GOAL! Valencia 5-0 Basel (Juan Bernat)
Unbelievable scenes. Bernat is still bombing down the left flank even at this late stage and he picks up the ball in an advanced position here before slotting it past the keeper. It is the greatest comeback in the history of the Europa League and one of the best games I have seen in a long, long time.
FULL TIME: Valencia 5-0 Basel (Valencia win 5-3 on aggregate)
Wow. What a magnificent game of football that was, particularly if you are a Valencia fan. They come from 3-0 down in the first leg to beat Basel 5-0 after extra time, with the visitors also having two men sent off in the added 30 minutes. It was a non-stop match and you won't see much more action crammed into 120 minutes of football than that. Incredible.
What it means, of course, is that Valencia overcome the odds to join Juventus, Sevilla and Benfica in the semi-finals of the Europa League. That is a strong selection of teams, and after tonight's performance Valencia will fancy their chances against any of them. They scored 5-0 tonight but it could have been even more as they stole the show. Let's have a full roundup of tonight's results...
EUROPA LEAGUE QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS:
Benfica 2-0 AZ (Benfica win 3-0 on aggregate);
Juventus 2-1 Lyon (Juventus win 3-1 on aggregate);
Sevilla 4-1 Porto (Sevilla win 4-2 on aggregate);
Valencia 5-0 Basel (AET - Valencia win 5-3 on aggregate)
So, we have two teams from Spain, one from Italy and one from Portugal in the semi-finals of this season's Europa League. Juventus remain favourites, particularly as the final will take place at their home stadium, but Benfica pose a very real threat having reached the final last season and Sevilla and Valencia both impressed in coming from behind to win tonight. The draw takes place tomorrow, and there will be plenty of interest surrounding it as any of the potential ties are intriguing in their own way.
Right, that is all we have time for tonight, and what a night of Europa League football it has been! Thank you for joining Sports Mole for all of the action on a remarkable and historic night in the competition. Congratulations to Juventus, Benfica, Sevilla and Valencia, who all make it through to the last four, and be sure to check back in with us tomorrow to see how the semi-final draws for both the Europa League and the Champions League shape up. From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
