Julian Nagelsmann's side won 2-1 in the first leg of the quarter-final at the San Siro in Milan on Thursday and completed the job in the second leg at Borussia Dortmund's Signal Iduna Park. Having already conceded a penalty, scored by Germany captain Joshua Kimmich after Tim Kleindienst had been fouled by Alessandro Buongiorno, Donnarumma was at fault for an embarrassing second. He tipped Kleindienst's header over the bar but then went to remonstrate with either the referee or his team-mates and walked about eight yards off his line. Germany capitalised through Kimmich's quickly-taken corner from the right, which was swept into the unguarded goal by Jamal Musiala with Donnarumma out of position. That made the score 4-1 on aggregate and it became 5-1 just before half-time when Italy lost possession when playing out from the back with Kleindienst heading in from Kimmich's cross, for the skipper's third goal involvement of the night. But the tie was not over as Italy dominated the second half. Former Everton striker Moise Kean pulled two goals back for Italy, firstly with a clinical finish into the bottom corner and then after being set up by Giacomo Raspadori. In the fifth minute of injury-time, Italy made it 3-3 on the night as Maximilian Mittelstadt was judged to have handled the ball, with Raspadori scoring the penalty. That made it 5-4 to Germany on aggregate but Italy could not find another goal that would have taken the tie to extra-time. This is the fourth staging of the Nations League and Germany have made the semi-finals for the first time where they will host Portugal in June. Through winning this quarter-final, Germany will be placed into World Cup Qualifying Group A, along with Luxembourg, Northern Ireland and Slovakia, while Italy will be in Group I with Estonia, Israel, Moldova and Norway.

Croatia had won 2-0 at home on Thursday, but, at a packed and passionate Stade de France, Didier Deschamps' side dominated the second leg and scored twice to take the tie to extra-time before booking a meeting with Spain in the final four following a dramatic shootout. France goalkeeper Mike Maignan saved Martin Baturina's first penalty and Franjo Ivanovic shot over as the hosts had the advantage only for Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez to both miss as it went to sudden death. But Maignan again saved, this time from Josip Stanisic, and France defender Dayot Upamecano held his nerve to score the decisive spot-kick for a 5-4 success. It was a deserved victory for the hosts, looking to win the competition for a second time after success in 2021. After a goalless first half, the hosts finally made the breakthrough in the 52nd minute when Bayern Munich's former Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise whipped a 25-yard free-kick over the Croatia wall with goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic nowhere near it. Despite sustained pressure from the French, Croatia, beaten in the 2023 final by Spain, were 10 minutes away from progressing before the hosts got a deserved second goal when the in-form Ousmane Dembele swept home Olise's cutback. That took the tie to extra-time, with France continuing to dominate as Kylian Mbappe had three chances to win it, but was repeatedly denied by the impressive Livakovic. But it was the other goalkeeper, Maignan, who proved to be the hero in the shootout as France scraped through to set up a semi-final against European champions Spain in June. By winning the quarter-final, France will also go into World Cup Qualifying Group D along with Azerbaijan, Iceland and Ukraine, while Croatia will be in Group L with the Czech Republic, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar and Montenegro.

The quarter-final had ended 3-3 on aggregate after 90 minutes, but Francisco Trincao put the home side ahead seconds into the extra period after Kasper Schmeichel had saved Goncalo Ramos' shot. Substitute Ramos completed the scoring with five minutes left. In a dramatic contest, Patrick Dorgu gifted Portugal an early penalty after bringing down Ronaldo inside the area, but Schmeichel got down low to his left to keep out the Portugal captain's effort. Undeterred, the hosts continued to create the better openings and took a deserved lead seven minutes before half-time when Fulham defender Joachim Andersen inadvertently headed Bruno Fernandes' corner into his own net. Ronaldo had a goal disallowed for offside against Rafael Leao on the stroke of half-time, before Rasmus Kristensen's back-post header made it 1-1 on the night and restored Denmark's aggregate advantage. On an eventful night for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner, Ronaldo's close-range 72nd-minute finish made it 2-1 after Schmeichel had saved Fernandes' initial effort. But Denmark appeared to be heading through in normal time when Christian Eriksen converted Dorgu's low cross just four minutes later. However, Trincao beat Schmeichel with a powerful finish from the edge of the box with four minutes of the 90 remaining, before netting his second of the game early in the first half of extra time. And Ramos netted a fifth for Portugal after converting Diogo Jota's square ball from close range. Before kick-off, Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva was honoured with a commemorative trophy after becoming only the eighth player to reach 100 appearances for Portugal's senior men's team. Roberto Martinez's side will face Germany in the last four after Julian Nagelsmann's team beat Italy 5-4 on aggregate in their last-eight tie. Denmark, meanwhile, will now play Scotland in World Cup qualifying Group C.

Dutch forward Noa Lang and Spain's Lamine Yamal both missed in the shootout before Spanish keeper Unai Simon kept out Donyell Malen's effort to give Pedri the chance to clinch a last-four spot for the 2023 winners. The Barcelona midfielder made no mistake, sending a lofted effort into the corner to cue wild celebrations among the home fans at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia. Spain had led twice in normal time thanks to goals from Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal, but Memphis Depay's penalty nine minutes into the second half and an effort from debutant Ian Maatsen forced extra time. A fabulous Yamal effort put Spain ahead 13 minutes into the additional 30 minutes, but Xavi Simons scored another penalty to send the tie to spot-kicks. The result stretches Spain's unbeaten run in all competitions to 18 matches, while they have not been beaten in the Nations League since a 2-1 home defeat by Switzerland in September 2022. After snatching a 2-2 draw in Thursday's first leg, the hosts had the better of the first-half chances and took an early lead through Oyarzabal's penalty after Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke fouled the frontman inside the box. Depay marked his 100th Netherlands appearance with a sweetly struck spot-kick of his own after being fouled by Robin Le Normand nine minutes into the second half. But Spain were back in front midway through the second period when Oyarzabal nodded home his second of the game at the end of a flowing counter-attack involving Yamal and Nico Williams. Luis de la Fuente's team appeared to be heading through in normal time until Maatsen guided a powerful, left-footed effort into the net on 79 minutes. After a lively start to extra time, Yamal outfoxed Maatsen on the corner of the area before curling home a sumptuous shot to restore Spain's advantage, but La Roja were pegged back yet again when Simons beat Unai Simons from the spot after being brought down by the goalkeeper inside the box. Yamal was denied by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the shootout after Lang had crashed his effort against the crossbar, but Pedri capitalised on Simon's save from Malen to set up a semi-final meeting with France.

Tuchel promised to bring back excitement after succeeding Gareth Southgate - but it was in short supply as the Three Lions struggled for fluency against the ultra-cautious visitors on Friday. One player to impress was Arsenal's gifted teenage full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly, who marked a dream debut by scoring the first goal of the German coach's era - sliding home a composed finish from Jude Bellingham's perfect pass after 20 minutes. It made Lewis-Skelly the youngest player to score on his senior England bow - aged 18 years and 176 days - beating Marcus Rashford's previous record, set against Australia in May 2016, by 33 days. Tuchel also gave a first cap to Newcastle defender Dan Burn, 32, and the goal hero from Sunday's Carabao Cup final win against Liverpool was almost on target again at Wembley as he headed against the bar in the first half. Albania posed more of a threat after the break, with Ezri Konsa doing superbly to deny Jasir Asani who was racing in towards keeper Jordan Pickford. But England responded instantly and put the game to bed in the 77th minute, with captain Harry Kane scoring his 70th goal in 104 international appearances from close range to seal a satisfactory opening night for Tuchel.