April 17, 2025, served up a thrilling night of upsets and nail-biting finishes in the UEFA Europa Conference League quarterfinals. From Chelsea's unexpected home defeat to Djurgården's historic progression to Real Betis's maiden semifinal appearance, the evening underscored the beautiful game's inherent unpredictability. Here's a comprehensive look at the key moments and managerial insights from these captivating matches.

Despite boasting a comfortable 3–0 advantage from the first leg in Poland, Chelsea's performance at Stamford Bridge left a sour taste in the mouths of the home supporters. Legia Warsaw, undeterred by the deficit, capitalized on what appeared to be complacency from the Blues. Tomas Pekhart drew first blood for the visitors, converting a penalty in the 10th minute after being brought down by Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jørgensen.

Chelsea managed to find an equalizer through Marc Cucurella in the 33rd minute, tapping in a cross from Jadon Sancho. However, Legia Warsaw refused to back down, and Steve Kapuadi headed home a second goal for the Polish side in the 53rd minute, securing a shock 2-1 victory on the night – Legia's first-ever competitive win in England.

The final whistle was met with noticeable boos from the Stamford Bridge faithful, clearly expressing their dissatisfaction with the performance. Captain Reece James offered a frank assessment, admitting that the team may have "disrespected the competition" with their approach. Manager Enzo Maresca also faced scrutiny for his decision to rotate the squad significantly for the home leg. Despite the disappointing loss, Chelsea progressed to the semifinals thanks to their first-leg dominance.

Fiorentina's journey to the Europa Conference League semifinals was far from straightforward as they were pushed all the way by a resilient Celje side. Leading 2-1 from the first leg in Slovenia, Fiorentina looked to be in control when Rolando Mandragora opened the scoring in the 37th minute at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.

However, Celje mounted a spirited comeback in the second half. Aljoša Matko equalized for the visitors in the 54th minute, and Klemen Nemanič's header in the 65th minute remarkably leveled the aggregate score at 3-3. Just two minutes later, Moise Kean, continuing his impressive scoring form with his 23rd goal of the season, restored Fiorentina's lead and ultimately secured their progression to the semifinals with a 4-3 aggregate victory. Despite advancing, Fiorentina manager Raffaele Palladino acknowledged the need for significant improvement ahead of their challenging semifinal clash with Real Betis.

Djurgården etched their name in Swedish football history with a dramatic extra-time victory over Rapid Wien, securing their first-ever appearance in a major European semifinal. The tie was finely balanced after Rapid Wien's narrow 1-0 first-leg win in Sweden.

The second leg at the Allianz Stadion took a dramatic turn early on when Rapid Wien's Mamadou Sangaré was shown a straight red card in the 7th minute for a poor challenge. Djurgården capitalized on their man advantage, with Marcus Danielson leveling the aggregate score from the penalty spot in the 42nd minute. However, just before halftime, a Jacob Une own goal incredibly restored Rapid Wien's aggregate lead.

Keita Kosugi's stunning strike from outside the box in the 77th minute once again leveled the tie, sending the match into a tense extra time. The extra period belonged to Djurgården's Tobias Gulliksen, who emerged as the hero with two well-taken goals in the 93rd and 105th minutes, sealing a memorable 4-1 victory on the night and a 4-2 aggregate triumph for the jubilant Swedish side. Rapid Wien's misery was compounded late in extra time when Serge-Philippe Raux-Yao received a second yellow card, reducing them to nine men.

Real Betis celebrated a monumental achievement, reaching the semifinals of a European competition for the first time in their 117-year history. A hard-fought 1-1 draw against Polish champions Jagiellonia Białystok in the second leg of their quarterfinal clash secured a 3-1 aggregate victory for the Andalusian club.

Entering the second leg with a comfortable 2-0 lead from the first leg at the Estadio Benito Villamarín, Betis faced a determined Jagiellonia side eager to overturn the deficit on their home turf. Despite a disallowed early goal for the hosts, Betis managed the game with composure.

In the 78th minute, substitute Aitor Ruibal provided a crucial assist for Cedric Bakambu, who calmly slotted home his seventh goal of the tournament, extending Betis's aggregate lead. Jagiellonia responded quickly, with Darko Churlinov equalizing in the 81st minute. However, Betis managed the remaining minutes effectively, ensuring their historic progression to the semifinals.

Post-match, Real Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini expressed immense pride in his team's historic achievement and reiterated their ambition to go all the way. "It's a historic moment for the club, reaching our first European semifinal. We aim to continue this journey and reach the final," Pellegrini stated, acknowledging the team's cautious first-half approach due to their first-leg advantage but praising their initiative and control in the second half.

Chelsea vs. Djurgården

Fiorentina vs. Real Betis

The stage is set for two compelling semifinals in the Europa Conference League, promising further drama and excitement as these four teams battle for a coveted spot in the final.