Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live at the City Ground

It is a massive night. The stadium is bouncing. There is not a spare red seat anywhere. It is rammed and the noise is incredible.

Image source, Getty Images

Under way in Florence after a minute's silence for goalkeeper Alex Manninger, who has died at the age of 48 after his car was struck by a train.

Manninger had a loan spell at Fiorentina in 2001-02 from Arsenal.

Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live

On whether a trophy would rubberstamp the team's progress under Emery:

Without a doubt. Given the progress and the way Emery has changed the football club, a trophy would be the sprinkling of hundreds and thousands on a cake he has already baked. He has everything he needs in the dressing room, he's got his staff, if they can get something to put into the trophy cabinet, he will be able to say 'There you go, that's why you brought me here'.

This is the first time Aston Villa have named an unchanged line-up between European games under Unai Emery.

Also they are unbeaten in Europe with both John McGinn and Youri Tielemans in the starting XI, winning seven of eight matches.

Off we go in Nottingham, Birmingham and Florence.

Semi-final places on the line.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have sold out of their 1,400 ticket allocation for tonight.

It's been a gorgeous sunny spring day in Florence.

So much so that some Palace fans have turned up at the stadium bare-chested.

Image source, PA Media

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

Dion Dublin
Former Aston Villa striker on BBC Radio 5 Live at the City Ground

Nottingham Forest are so close to doing something. I know half of their thoughts will be on the league but when you've got a chance to get to a semi-final, you've just got to go all out.

Conor McNamara
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator at the City Ground

It has been a long season for Nottingham Forest without Wood, who made his first appearance back in the first leg last week.

We need to stop and remember just how good he was last season - they would not be in Europe this season were it not for the goals he scored last season.

20 Premier League goals, he was simply unplayable for a spell. Even if he can chip in with a few goals who knows how close it could propel Forest to the Europa League trophy?

Image source, Getty Images

In their major European history, Porto have never won an away match in England.

They have played 24 away matches in England, drawing three and losing 21.

Their only ‘away’ win against an English side was against Chelsea in April 2021 in a Champions League quarter-final second leg, which was played in Seville due to covid-19 restrictions.

These two faced each other in the league phase of this European campaign when Forest won 2-0.

Conor McNamara
BBC Radio 5 Live commentator at the City Ground

Porto are top of the table in Portugal and have domestic silverware already in their sights, but make no mistake this is a big affair for them.

They will look at the remaining teams in the competition and think that they can compete for a bit of European silverware as well.

What they don't have is a good record on English soil, it's 24 games here and they have never had a victory.

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest’s Igor Jesus has netted the joint-most goals in the Europa League this season with seven.

Only one Brazilian has ever scored more in a single season in the competition, Giuliano for Zenit St Petersburg in 2016-17 (8).

Will he add to his tally tonight?

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sounds

Here's a reminder that 5 Live commentary is also available on the BBC Sounds app - so you can keep listening even if you're on the move tonight.

Got a smart speaker at home? On most devices, just say 'Ask BBC Sounds to play the Nottingham Forest game'.

And to get the latest news on the Reds every weekday at 5pm, search for 'Nottingham Forest' on Sounds and subscribe to the feed.

Rachel Corsie
Former Scotland and Aston Villa captain on BBC Radio 5 Live

There has always been the pressure and expectation that Aston Villa would get to the final in this competition. This week Emery was keen to say 'We're just going one game at a time'. That is a very important message because if you start looking too far ahead you can trip up. They have to be very disciplined and professional tonight.

Stiliyan Petrov
Former Aston Villa midfielder on TNT Sports

Jonathan Rowe is so direct, he can go inside and outside and that makes it difficult for any right-back.

He keeps going and he is just one of those players that a lot of Premier League clubs will be looking at him and saying 'I can have him.'

Image source, Getty Images

Joe Hart
Former England goalkeeper on TNT Sports

Aston Villa did really well to win last week in Italy but they won't forget what a tough game it was.

Bologna are a really good team, they pushed them, they pressed them, Villa took their chances. Emi Martinez had to have a really good game.

Credit to Villa, they rode their luck on the night and to come away with a 3-1 win in Europe is massive.

They can afford to think if they get the first goal tonight, I think the tie is over. It's a really good opportunity for a great end of the season for Aston Villa.

Hey, what's that? You were wondering who has recorded the most ball carries of five or more metres ending in a shot in the knockout stages of this season’s Europa League?

Well it's Bologna’s Jonathan Rowe, the former England Under-21 and Norwich winger (eight).

He has also attempted (23) and completed (11) the most dribbles of any player.

Image source, Getty Images

Oliver Glasner's CV already includes one European trophy.

The Austrian masterminded Eintracht Frankfurt's 2022 Europa League triumph, when the German club defeated Rangers in the final in Seville.

After winning the FA Cup last season, the first major trophy in Crystal Palace's history, will Glasner lead the Eagles to a first European trophy?

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner speaking to TNT Sports: "We know how we want to play and we know what we want to do against Fiorentina. We expect them to be more aggressive than they were at Selhurst, more man to man and putting on a lot of pressure in possession.

"They are well organised in defence but I also think when we move the ball quickly and switch sides quickly, we will find space and create our opportunities.

"We feel prepared and we trust in our skills. In this stage of European competition, they are always tight games and that's what we expect today as well."

Ellie Killick, Fan writer

In February, I wrote a piece questioning whether Jean-Philippe Mateta deserved to play for Crystal Palace again. When he returned to the Selhurst Park pitch on 12 March in a 0-0 draw against AEK Larnaca, the reaction from the crowd said plenty - a chorus of boos echoed the stands, showing just how frustrated fans were with January's off-field drama.

Fast forward four weeks, things feel a lot different and our number 14 is back doing what he does best... kicking the corner flag!

In what I would argue was Palace's best performance of the Conference League campaign, Mateta reminded us exactly what he offers. His penalty against Fiorentina set us on the way to a comfortable victory and in a good position for our upcoming away leg.

In a post-match interview with TNT Sports, the Frenchman stated: "I dreamed about that for nights." Maybe being out of favour with Oliver Glasner is exactly what Mateta needed to reignite the fire in his belly.

Read the full column on the BBC Sport Crystal Palace page