Having become the first UEFA Champions League winners to fail in their defence at the group stages, it has been a disappointing season for the Stamford Bridge club, who are also fighting to finish in the Premier League's top four.

But a piece of silverware could change the outlook and so the Europa League is a major focus for Chelsea and their under-fire interim manager Rafa Benitez in the remaining weeks of the season.

Benitez will be particularly keen to end his tenure with the club with a trophy in order to answer some of the criticism he has faced since succeeding Roberto Di Matteo in November, while also boosting his own CV.

Sky Bet have Chelsea as the favourites to win the Europa League, which is also being contested by Benfica and Fenerbahce in the other semi-final, but Basel will not be easy opponents in Switzerland.

Murat Yakin's team knocked Chelsea's London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, out in the quarter-finals following a dramatic penalty shoot-out at St Jakob Park earlier in April and they are now just two games away from the final in Amsterdam.

Basel's form at home has been the main factor behind their success, with the club having gone six games unbeaten since the beginning of the group stages.

Source: skysports.com