Four English teams will be in the finals of European competitions for the first time ever. Arsenal beat Valencia 7-3 on aggregate in their Europa League semi-final after going into the game with a 3-1 first-leg advantage - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring a hat-trick for the Gunners. Chelsea won on penalties against Frankfurt at Stamford Bridge to set up an all-London final, in a rare example of the English overcoming the Germans on spot-kicks. Blues goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga made two saves, denying the German side's Martin Hinteregger and Goncalo Paciencia. He described penalties as "a little bit lucky", telling BT Sport: "Always we prepare and we are lucky today." Advertisement The two wins follow amazing results in the Champions League earlier this week, with both Liverpool and Tottenham coming from 3-0 down in their semi-finals to see off La Liga champions Barcelona and Dutch giants Ajax. Image: Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga and Cesar Azpilicueta after the match Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil tweeted a picture of the victorious players after their game, writing: "Off to the final baby." Valencia started well at home to Arsenal, with Kevin Gameiro scoring after 11 minutes. But Aubameyang got a goal back for the north Londoners after 17 minutes, calming nerves among the travelling supporters. Image: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored a hat-trick for Arsenal Alexandre Lacazette got Arsenal's second goal in Valencia's Mestalla Stadium, before Gameiro grabbed another one for the home side. But Aubameyang followed up with two further strikes, sending Arsenal into the final in Baku - the capital of Azerbaijan - on 29 May. Lacazette told BT Sport that Aubameyang had been "unbelievable", adding: "We want the trophy." Aubameyang said the team had learned from last season, when they were eliminated in the semi-finals. "This year we didn't make the same mistakes, so now we are through to the final and we are all happy," he said. Arsenal manager Unai Emery, who won the Europa League three times with Sevilla, said "the past is for taking experience and using in the present". Chelsea began their tie against Frankfurt at 1-1 following the first leg. A fine finish from the Blues' Ruben Loftus-Cheek put them ahead on 28 minutes, but Luka Jovic replied for Frankfurt early in the second half. Chelsea's Eden Hazard told BT Sport it was "50-50 at the end", adding: "In the end our character was good and we go through. "We are happy and we will go to Baku to try to win the trophy."<doc-sep>The presence of four English clubs in the finals of Europe's two major club competitions raises several questions, most pertinently: How has it come to this? The simple answer: Money scores goals. Over the past five years, the current 20 Premier League clubs have spent a combined net total of 3.287 billion pounds (€3.807 billion, $4.276 billion) on new signings. And, with a new television broadcasting deal worth 4.464 billion pounds and Premier League clubs owned by an increasingly exclusive circle of Russian oligarchs, American businessmen and Middle Eastern sheikhs, this is unlikely to change anytime soon. In the same period, Italian clubs in Serie A have spent €600.40 million, Spanish La Liga clubs have spent €427.09 million, and Bundesliga sides here in Germany have recorded a mere €135.76 million net spent. The equation looks straightforward, but the reality is far more nuanced. The sums spent may differ hugely, but the sporting margins remain fine. DW's Matt Ford Fine margins Earlier this month, Eintracht Frankfurt were just 12 yards (11 meters) away from a first European final since their 1980 UEFA Cup triumph, losing out on penalties to a Chelsea team backed by a Russian oligarch since 2003. About 24 hours earlier, a young Ajax side were a matter of seconds away from a first Champions League final since 1995, losing to a Tottenham side that had already overcome a Manchester City team constructed using over 1.3 billion pounds of Middle-Eastern money since 2008. And before that, Liverpool produced a historic comeback against a team to whom they had sold two of their best former players in Luis Suarez and Philippe Coutinho, and without two of their current best players in Mohammed Salah and Roberto Firmino. "It's not about money," insisted head coach Jürgen Klopp. "We went through because of our desire and so did Tottenham." Klopp deserves much credit, and of course Liverpool are hardly financial minnows themselves, but the feat would also not have been possible without a Catalan cataclysm which cannot be explained by dollar signs alone. Indeed, Europe's very biggest spenders are nowhere to be seen this week, with Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City knocked out in earlier rounds. The less said about Manchester United, the better. Clearly, money isn't everything. Eintracht Frankfurt were only inches away from the final, Ajax only seconds The cyclical world of football Five English clubs reached Champions League finals between 2005 and 2009, including an all-English affair in Moscow in 2008 when Manchester United beat Chelsea. Just six years ago, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund faced off in the Champions League final at Wembley less than 14 months before Germany lifted the World Cup in Brazil. In 2013, German football was riding the crest of a wave that has since crashed on the shore. Every Champions League final since then has featured a Spanish club, including two Madrid derbies between Atletico and Real. Similarly, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla have won five of the last seven Europa League finals. Footballing trends, whether financial, tactical or both, come and go, and reactionary demands to spend more and more money in order to keep up are neither sensible nor helpful. Eintracht Frankfurt and their supporters have had experiences which money can't buy Be careful what you wish for In Germany, such demands inevitably lead to the debate over the 50+1 rule and whether or not German football clubs should open themselves up to outside investment. But be careful what you wish for. The four clubs competing in this year's finals may be English in name, but there's little English about them in nature. Two are owned by Americans, one by a Russian. The head coaches are from Germany, Argentina, Italy and Spain. And of the 44 players who started the four semifinals, only eight were English. Arguably the only English thing about the four clubs involved are the four sets of match-going supporters. And when you consider the remote location of the Europa League final in Baku and the prices and availability of tickets for the Champions League final in Madrid, it becomes evidently clear that they're irrelevant as well. These aren't actually all-English finals at all; they are all-Premier League finals between international Premier League clubs with global Premier League fan bases watching predominantly on television. The contrast could be seen in the away end at Stamford Bridge in the Europa League semifinal second leg, and indeed in every stadium across Europe that has housed Eintracht Frankfurt's fanatical supporters this season. Those Frankfurt fans control their club and their club puts them first, offering affordable tickets, emphasizing an authentic matchday experience over a television product and promoting an active and independent fan culture. It's a similar story at most clubs across Germany. Jürgen Klopp is right: Football is not all about money. But even if it were, there are some things money can't buy.<doc-sep>Arsenal will meet Chelsea in the Europa League final on May 29 while Liverpool will face Tottenham in the Champions League final on June 1 Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham have made European football history as the Premier League sides make up all four finalists in the Europa League and Champions League this season. This is the first time all four finalists have come from the same country in the same season. GETTY 4 Arsenal have made it to the Europa League final Getty Images - Getty 4 And they will meet Chelsea following their tense win over Eintracht Franfurt Arsenal meet Chelsea in the Europa League final in Baku on May 29 while Liverpool take on Spurs in the Champions League final at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid on June 1. The Reds and Spurs made it through in spectacular style – completing splendid comeback victories against Barcelona and Ajax respectively. Getty 4 Liverpool’s staff and players celebrate their win over Barcelona at full-time 4 Tottenham will play in their first ever Champions League final This is the first time there’s been an all-Premier League Champions League final since Manchester United beat Chelsea in 2008. Meanwhile, Arsenal booked their place in Baku with a comfortable victory over Valencia, going through 7-3 on aggregate while Chelsea were made to sweat by a dangerous Eintracht Frankfurt side but made it through on penalties. LATEST FOOTBALL NEWS GLORY Now Capoue and Foyth have shown Kane what can happen if you leave Tottenham NEWS Woeful De Gea stat, Solskjaer 'not at Man United's level', Rashford abused after final LIVE Transfer news: Poch Tottenham talks, £18m Leicester deal, Bayern sign English defender shameful Marcus Rashford receives 'over 70 racial slurs' and reveals teacher among abusers Finished Solskjaer ‘not Man United standard’ with Conte ideal replacement after final loss INQUIRY Questions will be asked of Solskjaer after 'master' Emery nullified Man United DRAMA Man United stunned by Villarreal as Solskjaer's search for silverware goes on shocker De Gea's commitment doubted as he concedes 36th straight pen and misses in EL final The last time two English sides reached the final of this competition was in 1972 when Tottenham beat Wolves, which was the first final of the UEFA Cup tournament. The Premier League is well and truly back!<doc-sep>
Chelsea and Arsenal booked their places in the Europa League final last night after beating Eintracht Frankfurt and Valencia. The two sides from London will meet in Baku on May 29, with the winner earning qualification to next season's Champions League. For Chelsea, they have already sealed that by claiming a top four place in the Premier League, so the onus is on Arsenal to get the win. As for the Champions League final on June 1, that to will feature two teams from England's top-flight in Liverpool and Tottenham. It's incredibly rare to see all four finalists come from the same nation, so rare in fact that it has actually never happened in the history of European football. Spain, Italy and Germany have all dominated the European football scene at one time or another down the years, but have never had all four finalists in the same year. In both the 2013/14 and 2015/16 seasons, Spain had three representatives in the two finals. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid battled in both Champions League finals, with Los Blancos coming out on top each time. And in the Europa League, Sevilla won both, beating Benfica and Liverpool in the finals - they actually won three in a row under current Arsenal manager Unai Emery. Spain have been the dominant force in Europe in recent years, with Bayern Munich in 2013 the last team not from the nation to win the Champions League. In the Europa League, Spanish teams have won five of the last seven titles, with Chelsea (2013) and Manchester United (2017) the only ones breaking the mould. However, after years of domination it looks like England may be set for another reign as the force of European football, just like it was in the early-to-mid 2000's. News Now - Sport News