Move over Champions League, it’s time for the Europa League to steal center stage. We have reached the semifinals of Europe’s secondary competition, as just four teams remain standing after nine months of action. The qualifying rounds commenced all the way back in July 2025 and the league phase kicked off two months later, Thursday nights having been packed full of continental chaos for nearly a year. Unlike in its previous format which allowed Champions League failures to drop into the competition, the Europa League has a fresh feel considering the teams still competing. There are former European champions among the quartet, as well as several sides seeking to make history. The first leg of each finely poised semifinal arrives this Thursday, and here’s how Sports Illustrated believes they will pan out. Braga vs. Freiburg Braga conquered Real Betis in the quarterfinals. | Fran Santiago/Getty Images Kick-off time: 8 p.m. BST / 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m.…