When it comes to European competition, Chelsea know how to save the best until last, David Luiz's free-kick in the fourth and final minute of added time giving the Blues a 2-1 win in the first leg of their UEFA Europa League semi-final at FC Basel.

David Luiz's added-time free-kick earned the visitors a valuable first-leg lead after a Fabian Schär penalty looked set to salvage a draw for Basel.

It had seemed that Rafael Benítez's side would pay for missing a string of chances when Fabian Schär stroked in an 87th-minute penalty to cancel out Victor Moses' first-half header. Instead, Chelsea summoned up the spirit of Munich – scene of their dramatic UEFA Champions League triumph last term – as Luiz put them in pole position for the Stamford Bridge return next week.

Chelsea's nous in the latter stages of UEFA club competitions was evident in their confident start, with César Azpilicueta serenely gliding down the right and supplying Frank Lampard, whose toe-poke was repelled by Yann Sommer. Lampard soon helped to find an away goal for the Premier League side, though, supplying a corner that evaded Branislav Ivanović only to be nodded in by Moses.

Nor was that the visitors' only incursion into Basel territory during the first half. Eden Hazard enjoyed two excellent chances, the best of which was set up by the lively Moses, who also teamed up with Lampard to feed Ramires in space, forcing Sommer to make a one-handed stop from his angled shot. By the break, Murat Yakin's team had only truly tested Petr Čech with a venomous deflected Schär free-kick that was tipped over the bar.

The Basel faithful were almost energised by the scale of their first-half reprieve, allowing for a more enterprising start to the second period. Within two minutes of the restart Valentin Stocker had struck the foot of the post with Čech stranded; Fernando Torres replied in kind at the other end, blasting left-footed against the woodwork. The like-for-like trading of chances continued, with Torres being defied by Sommer's scrambling save, before Marcelo Díaz swept over from 12 metres.

Home enthusiasm for the task was nonetheless unwavering, and Schär's spot kick earned parity on the night following Azpilicueta's foul on Stocker. It would prove short-lived. Sommer made a miraculous save to repel John Terry's header but was powerless to keep out Luiz's set piece in a dramatic finale.

Tags: chelsea | FC Basel | soccer | UEFA Europa League

Fenerbahce will take a 1-0 lead to SL Benfica next week after hitting the woodwork three times, including from a missed penalty, before Egemen Korkmaz finally made the breakthrough – inevitably via the post – in an eventful UEFA Europa League semi-final tie.

The Turkish outfit had had the better of a high-tempo first half, with Moussa Sow rattling the crossbar, when they won a penalty just before the break. Cristian fired against the base of the left post, however, and when Dirk Kuyt found the frame of the goal again in the second period, it did not look like Aykut Kocaman's side's night. Egemen changed their fortunes 18 minutes from time, nodding in via the upright following a poor defensive header as Fenerbahce claimed a deserved win.

All is not lost for Benfica, with Mehmet Topal and Pierre Webó suspended for the second leg after picking up bookings tonight, though the Portuguese hopefuls will be without Ola John themselves after he received a yellow card for conceding the penalty, tripping Gökhan Gönül. His team nonetheless escaped punishment from the spot as Cristian homed in on the woodwork, just as Sow had done with a header midway through the first period.

The midfielder was crestfallen, sinking his head into his hands; but he began the second half like a man on a mission. He and Raul Meireles both tested Artur from long range before Kuyt acquainted himself with the post after a lovely turn and shot from around the penalty spot.

Benfica soon hit the woodwork themselves as Nicolás Gaitán, initially rested, bent the ball onto the outside of the post from distance. Meireles was carried off on a stretcher with an injury, but Kocaman's men did not lose their composure and eight minutes later Egemen struck – Cristian, whose corner led to the breakthrough, was a picture of relief itself.

Benfica briefly rallied, but Fenerbahce closed out the 1-0 win in relative comfort, keeping the clean sheet they desired. All the same, Webó's late booking for kicking the ball away could prove a real setback for their aspirations of following a maiden semi-final appearance in UEFA competition with a first final.

Tags: fenerbahçe | SL Benfica | soccer | UEFA Europa League

The visit of FC Rubin Kazan is Chelsea FC's second match in a run of eight games in 22 days, yet Rafael Benítez is confident the Blues can continue to battle on three fronts.

Chelsea FC's congested fixture list would make many coaches baulk but as he prepares his side for the UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg against FC Rubin Kazan, Rafael Benítez appears in his element.

Thursday sees the second of eight matches in 22 days for the Blues, who began the run well with Monday's 1-0 FA Cup quarter-final victory at home to English champions-elect Manchester United FC. "We are just concentrating on one game at a time," said Benítez. "I have to pick a team that can win a game, and just concentrate on this one – the players have to be ready. We are doing really well so far."

However, such a glut of fixtures has not left Benítez, whose team lie fourth in the Premier League, ill-prepared as he dissected his latest opposition in full respectful detail. "Rubin Kazan are a good team, well organised. They know what to do, as they showed [in previous rounds] against Atlético Madrid and Levante. I have warned any of my players maybe thinking it will be easy, 'no chance' – it will be tough."

The Spaniard is particularly wary of the Russian outfit's potency on the counterattack. To that end Chelsea may miss defenders Ashley Cole and Gary Cahill, both ruled out of the tie through injury, but Benítez is not seeking excuses. His success at Valencia in 2003/04, when the team lifted the UEFA Cup and Liga trophies, provides inspiration for this multi-tasking.

"When we won the UEFA Cup and the league with Valencia, we won both competitions. Why can you not? You can win both competitions. Why can you not try to win every game? You have to try to do that. In a top side it has to be like this."

Rubin lost 1-0 at Chelsea's London rivals Tottenham Hotspur FC in last season's UEFA Europa League, although Kurban Berdyev believes considerable strides have been made since that defeat 18 months ago. "I think we have got better," the coach said. "We have more experience now to play at this level."

Indeed, the Premier-Liga's fourth-ranked club are unbeaten in five matches and have ousted holders Club Atlético de Madrid and Levante UD in the knockout rounds so far, although Berdyev recognises that Chelsea represent a significant step up. "I have very high hopes for this game," he said. "Rubin don't play such big teams every day and we can't wait for the game to happen.

"I have been to Chelsea before as a guest of Mr Abramovich and I remember looking at the stadium hoping that one day I could bring my team here. This game will create history for Rubin – and we've got used to not being favourites."

Tags: chelsea | Rafael Benitez | Rubin Kazan | UEFA Europa League

Tottenham Hotspur FC boss André Villas-Boas will ask his strikers to negate the loss of Jermain Defoe while FC Basel 1893's Murat Yakin must deal with defensive absentees.

André Villas-Boas is backing his forwards to make up for the loss of influential striker Jermain Defoe as Tottenham Hotspur FC seek to gain the initiative in their quarter-final opener against FC Basel 1893.

Defoe has scored four times in eight UEFA Europa League games, as well as ten times in the Premier League, but his absence through injury means Spurs require an alternative source of goals if they are to reach the last four. "Jermain has a muscle injury and is out for the next two games, maybe Basel away too," said Villas-Boas. "It is a big blow. It is the same muscle he had a small tear in last month. He is a big miss as he has shown tremendous quality this season."

Gareth Bale's stellar performances behind the front man – yielding a combined 20 goals in the league and UEFA Europa League – have masked Tottenham's shortcomings in attack. When he was suspended at FC Internazionale Milano in the round of 16 second leg, Spurs could only progress on away goals after a 4-1 reverse after extra time. Villas-Boas, desperate to avoid overreliance on the Welsh talisman, is challenging the likes of Clint Dempsey and Emmanuel Adebayor, with seven league strikes between them, to chip in.

"Dempsey and Bale have played up front," he said. "We've had periods where strikers have been injured – sometimes we have coped, sometimes not so well. Gareth is confident playing as a striker and we are getting the best out of him. Adebayor has been helping the team but not scoring as much. He links the team up, so has adapted to doing something different, sometimes at the expense of goals. We have kept faith and will try to help him."

Tottenham may be favourites in the tie but Villas-Boas is not underestimating a Basel team used to shocking more fancied sides. "They have European experience that we don't, and had tremendous results against sides like Manchester United, Sporting and Bayern," said the 35-year-old. "It is difficult now as all eight teams believe they can win the trophy. The key will be teams' motivation and the quality of individuals – we have superior players but they have experience. They have played in the Champions League and have a team of regular trophy winners. Recent experience makes them one of the favourites. They put out Zenit [in the last 16] so we expect a tough game."

Suspensions rather than injuries are giving Basel coach Murat Yakin a headache ahead of the White Hart Lane showdown, with full-backs Park Joo Ho and Philipp Degen banned along with midfielder Marcelo Díaz. "I'm not happy with the situation as they have played well over the season," said the 38-year-old. "But it is a long campaign and you pick up injuries and suspensions. We have good replacements and we believe in them. It is a chance to see what they can do."

The former Swiss international, who is sweating on the fitness of Cabral, is also relishing tackling another vaunted opponent, having beaten FC Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk and FC Zenit St Petersburg in the knockout stage so far. "Spurs are very strong but that is what the Europa League is about," he said. "They are favourites but we are in the quarter-finals and we want to get further. We know their strength at home. It will be a great challenge but we will compete. Our role is not just defensive – we need an away goal."

Tags: Andre Villas-Boas | FC Basel | Tottenham Hotspur | UEFA Europa League

SL Benfica may be favourites as Newcastle United FC visit Lisbon but coach Jorge Jesus does not expect an easy route to the semi-finals, predicting "an even tie – it will be hard".

On paper, a UEFA Europa League quarter-final first leg between the Portuguese Liga leaders and a struggling English Premier League side in Lisbon might be expected to yield a comfortable home victory – yet SL Benfica coach Jorge Jesus is full of respect for Newcastle United FC.

Unbeaten in the league for six days shy of a year, Benfica have lost only once at home all season – the fact their conquerors were FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League group stage gives some idea of the size of the task facing the Magpies. Jesus, however, said: "It will be a hard game. At this stage all the teams are strong and league performance doesn't always correspond with European form.

"The fact they are in 15th place in England doesn't mean a thing," he added.
"They have played 12 matches in the UEFA Europa League and lost just once. Their squad is full of internationals. It will be an even tie that won't be decided in the first game."

With Jesus anticipating that the visitors "keep to their usual style of play: strong on the counterattack", Benfica will be chasing success on three fronts – although the coach is staying cautious about that exciting prospect. "Fighting for a treble exposes us to risks, because games are more intense and there are also injuries," he explained. "We cannot escape from that. We are [four points] ahead in the league, in the [Portuguese] Cup semi-finals and in the Europa League quarter-finals, so we have to take risks at this stage."

While acknowledging that Newcastle will have their work cut out at the Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, Alan Pardew nonetheless believes his side can cause a shock if they can keep the ball. "It will be important to have possession; both sides are very strong in this area," said the manager. "Benfica have plenty of attacking options and are strong on the wings, with the support of both full-backs. It is hard to stop them. It's not mission impossible but it won't be easy. The fact we have two matches to decide the tie is good for us."

Pardew is urging his team to remain in contention until next week's second leg, knowing the boisterous support on Tyneside can spur them on. "At St James' Park we can beat anyone, so we have to try to take the tie there," he said. "It will be a hard test for us because they are a strong side. We've conceded few goals in this competition, but it will be important for us to score here to have a better chance of going through."

Tags: Alan Pardew | benfica | Europa League | Jorge Jesus | Newcastle United

Aykut Kocaman says that S.S. Lazio will be a "step up" for his Fenerbahçe SK side while the first leg in Istanbul is a trip down memory lane for two of the visiting party.

As Fenerbahçe SK target a first-ever European semi-final, Aykut Kocaman knows his men will give everything against S.S. Lazio, whom the coach rates as the best team his side will have faced in the UEFA Europa League.

However, with home advantage first against the Italian outfit, Kocaman recognises that taking the upper hand to Rome will be crucial in overcoming a club that stylishly dispatched Bundesliga opposition in the last two rounds. "We want to take a lead into the second leg," said the Fenerbahçe boss. "We will play a very hard game, a very big game. This is a two-legged situation, not a league game. We want to compete but will be conscious that this is the first leg, not the deciding match in the tie."

The former Turkish international, who celebrates his 48th birthday the day after this quarter-final opener, is full of admiration for the Biancocelesti and their striker Miroslav Klose – although the competition's eight-goal top scorer Libor Kozák may keep him out of the side.

"We have had to play a number of very difficult and talented teams along the way, but Lazio are a step up from that," Kocaman said. "Klose is a very famous player. He will be one of the key men for Lazio, though the tie will be won by team work, not individuals. It will be breathless and will go to the last minute."

Meanwhile, Fenerbahçe defender Reto Ziegler accepts the Sarı Kanaryalar must be fully focused to have any chance of progress. "We are delighted to be involved at this stage and we want to go further," said the Swiss international. "We face a tough game, a balanced game. We have to concentrate and play well to get the victory."

For Lazio's Vladimir Petković, the Şükrü Saracoğlu should hold no surprises, with the coach having been in the opposition dugout in both a UEFA Champions League qualifier and the Turkish Super League. "I've faced Fenerbahçe here twice before, once with Young Boys and the other time with Samsunspor. They are much improved since then. They are one of the biggest names left in the draw but we want to dominate the game."

Another of the Lazio party with experience of visiting Fenerbahçe is former Galatasaray AŞ midfielder Lorik Cana. "This is a special moment for me because I became a Galatasaray fan as well as a player, but as a professional you have to put all emotions aside and do your job."

Tags: Aykut Kocaman | fenerbahçe | lazio | UEFA Europa League | Vladimir Petković