Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport

For only the third time in the 21st century, England has no teams in the semi-finals of the Champions League or Europa League - so what has gone wrong?

Manchester City and Arsenal were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday, before Liverpool and West Ham went out of the Europa League last night.

The only English team left in Europe are Aston Villa, who beat Lille on penalties to reach the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League, the third-tier tournament that is only in its third season.

This is only the third time since the Cup Winners' Cup was scrapped in 1999 and replaced by the Uefa Cup as Europe's second-tier trophy that England has had no teams in the last four of that competition or the Champions League - alongside 2002-03 and 2014-15.

And it will be only the fourth time in the past 20 seasons that the Premier League will not have a finalist in either competition.

Image source, BBC Sport

That's our round up of the national newspapers complete.

We've got a swathe of manager news conferences to preview the FA Cup semi-finals and this weekend's Premier League fixtures to come.

West Ham boss David Moyes is, in fact, speaking right now but the majority will be doing their media duties around lunchtime.

That gives us an opportunity to take a deeper dive into what has gone wrong for English clubs in Europe this season.

Image source, The Times

Meanwhile, The Times acknowledge there was "no miracle for Liverpool" on its back page with a picture of a crestfallen Mohamed Salah.

They also have story from chief sports correspondent Matt Lawton on Manchester United's plans to redevelop Old Trafford. United are "conducting detailed analysis of the stadium projects at Real Madrid and Barcelona, knowing that redeveloping the existing Old Trafford site could be as much as £1 billion cheaper than building a new ground".

"At this stage sources insist that all options remain open," the story adds. "With an entirely new 100,000-seater stadium on a site adjacent to the present ground still a possibility."

The Daily Express

Image source, Daily Express

The Daily Express make the decision to scrap FA Cup replays their lead story but there's also room on the back page for Liverpool's Europa League exit.

"Liverpool suffered their worst Euro exit under Jurgen Klopp after failing in their mission impossible", the papers says. "The Reds ran out of steam in the Gewiss Stadium and there will be no glorious farewell for Klopp in the Europa League final in Dublin on 22 May."

The Guardian

Image source, Guardian sports section

Emiliano Martinez's penalty shootout heroics and the decision to scrap FA Cup replays lead the way on the front of the Guardian's sport section but they also make space for an Arsenal transfer story.

"Arsenal are targeting a striker and winger in the summer to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad after their hopes of reaching a first Champions League semi-final since 2009 were ended by Bayern Munich," writes Ed Aarons.

"It is understood that ­Newcastle’s striker Alexander Isak is one of the primary targets. Crystal Palace’s Michael Olise, who signed a new four-year contract in August after turning down Chelsea, is also understood to be a potential ­target,"

Image source, The I

The I leads the front of its sports section with the "anger" generated by the Football Association's decision to scrap FA Cup replays.

"The decision to scrap FA Cup replays from next season due to the expansion of the Champions League has been met with fury by clubs throughout the pyramid outside the Premier League," the paper reports.

"Club owners and executives have accused the Premier League and Football Association of regarding clubs outside the top-flight with 'contempt' and operating a 'monopoly' within the national game."

The Daily Star

Image source, Daily Star

The Daily Star also lead on scrapping of FA Cup replays with the "biggest shake-up in the long history" of the competition.

The paper adds that the Football Association decision is "certain to upset traditionalists and fans of the world's oldest cup competition".

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The Daily Mail

Image source, Daily Mail

The Daily Mail's back page has a a picture of Emiliano Martinez appearing to 'shush' the Lille fans during Aston Villa's shootout victory over Lille. However, their lead story is on the decision by the Football Association to scrap FA Cup replays.

"English football has been left in uproar after the FA and Premier League struck a deal to scrap FA Cup replays," writes Mike Keegan. "A stunned EFL has spoken of its ‘frustration and disappointment’ after the bombshell, historic move was announced on Thursday while clubs have branded it ‘a disgrace’ and called for action."

Daily Mirror

Image source, Daily Mirror

The Daily Mirror lead on Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez's heroics, and antics, on their back page with the colourful headline 'Gob stopper'.

"Martinez broke French hearts again last night - then claimed it was his 'destiny'," writes Neil Moxley. "The Argentine World Cup winner was the hero as Aston Villa reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League.

"Incredibly, Martinez - who was cautioned for time-wasting in normal time - received a second yellow but as bookings are chalked off ahead of the shootout he was not shown a red."

The Daily Telegraph

Image source, Daily Telegraph

The Daily Telegraph lead on Emiliano Martinez's heroics for Aston Villa in Lille on the front page of its sports section.

"Whatever the occasion, however hostile the environment, Emiliano Martinez is the undisputed king of the penalty shoot-out," writes John Percy in his match report. "Martinez simply thrives on these pressure cooker situations and took centre stage again to leave Lille as both the hero and villain, after an utterly absorbing European night."

Right, let's take a quick look at what stories are making the back pages of today's national newspapers.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport

English results in Europe last night mean Italy will definitely get an extra Champions League place.

Indeed, both Italy and Germany could have six teams in next season’s competition, if Atalanta won the Europa League and Borussia Dortmund won the Champions League despite finishing outside the top four of Serie A and Bundesliga respectively.

Aston Villa are the Premier League's sole survivor in European competition after a largely miserable week of continental action for English clubs.

For the first time since the 2014-15 season there will be no English clubs in the semi-finals of either the Champions League or Europa League.

Why has reaching the latter stages of European competition proved so difficult this season?

Will English clubs bounce back next year? Can Villa go all the way in the Europa Conference League?

We'd love to know your thoughts. Message us on X using the hashtag #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply).

Here's how the semi-finals of the Europa League and Europa Conference League look after last night's results.

Image source, BBC Sport