Portuguese avoid derby draws

Soccer : All three Portuguese sides have avoided each other in the draw for the Europa League quarter-finals.

Soccer: All three Portuguese sides have avoided each other in the draw for the Europa League quarter-finals.

Domestic league leaders Porto, rivals Benfica and underdogs Braga are all in contention to be at the final in Dublin on May 18th.

None of them will meet in the next round after Porto drew Spartak Moscow, Benfica got PSV Eindhoven and Braga were paired with Dynamo Kiev.

However, all three will play their first legs at home and face difficult second-leg away trips.

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The fourth quarter-final will see Villarreal face Dutch outfit FC Twente, with the Spaniards at home first.

In the semi-finals, the winner of the Braga-Dynamo clash will be at home first against Benfica or PSV, with Porto or Spartak home first against Villarreal or Twente.

Quarter-Final Draw

Porto v Spartak Moscow

Benfica v PSV

Villarreal v Twente

Braga v Dynamo Kiev

Quarter-final first legs will be staged on April 7th, second legs on April 14th.

Semi-Final Draw

Braga/Dynamo Kiev v Benfica/PSV

Porto/Spartak Moscow v Villarreal/Twente

Semi-final first legs will be staged on April 28th, second legs on May 5th.