Europa League: Sevilla Aim to Finish the Job on Juve

Sevilla vs Juventus

Europa League action returns on Thursday as Sevilla host Juventus in a semi-final second leg tie, with the match beautifully in the balance after the two teams played out a 1-1 draw in Turin.

Sevilla simply love this competition as six-time winners, and they’ll be backed by a passionate crowd at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium. But the Europa League 2023 betting odds reckon it’s a close one to call.

In fact, Roma are the favourites to win the competition at a SBOTOP price of 3.15, while Sevilla are at 3.25, and Juventus not far behind at 3.40. Even Bayer Leverkusen at odds of 5.00 will fancy turning around a one-goal deficit with a home leg to play against the Romans.

Sevilla coach Jose Mendilibar will have his team well prepared for this game and they will be full of confidence, arriving on the back of a 3-0 win away to Real Valladolid, while Max Allegri will have a plan to steal Sevilla’s slight advantage.

I Bianconeri come into the game with a 2-0 win over Cremonese and have won three Serie A games on the run.

Talking Points

The story so far

Both semi-final first leg Europa League 2023 results left the ties nicely balanced and it was a late, late goal from Federico Gatti which earned the Old Lady parity when Juventus hosted Sevilla last week.

The hosts dominated the early exchanges, and Dusan Vlahovic should have done better when he blasted a shot over the bar from close range after good work from Filip Kostic. But Sevilla took the lead when Lucas Ocampos teed up Youssef En-Nesyri for Sevilla’s opener midway through the first half.

Sevilla could have gone further ahead, having five shots on target to Juventus’ two, but their failure to extend their lead left the door open for I Bianconeri. And with 97 minutes on the clock, Paul Pogba headed across to Gatti who nodded home. Had Sevilla held out, they would have inflicted a first ever Europa League home defeat on I Bianconeri.

There was more disappointment for Sevilla as Ocampos limped off to be replaced by Gonzalo Montiel before the break.

Weekend action

Sevilla responded well to the late disappointment in Turin with a resounding win away to Real Valladolid on Sunday.

Mendilibar made changes to his team by resting En-Nesyri, skipper Jesus Navas, and keeper Bono, while Ocampos was not in the picture. The attacking midfielder has suffered this season with knee and ankle injuries and looks unlikely to feature on Thursday.

Following a quiet first half, Sevilla exploded into life after the break and Rafa Mir broke the deadlock on 50 minutes. Papu Gomez added a second on 78 and Jesus Corona made it three in stoppage time.

The victory took Sevilla into the top half of the table and 13 points clear of the drop. After a nightmare first half of the campaign, they are back to their best and the spectre of a relegation scrap is long gone.

Juventus took on Cremonese on Sunday and they too put in a strong second half display to take all three points thanks to goals from Nicolo Fagioli and centre-back Gleison Bremer, who headed home from a corner.

The win put the second placed Bianconeri eight points clear of AC Milan in fifth, so they will be playing Champions League football next year.

Sevilla must win this competition to join Europe’s elite.

History

Juventus have won three of the meetings with Sevilla, losing just once and drawing the other two.

While Sevilla have won this competition six times and four in the last decade, their visitors also have a rich heritage in Europe, winning the Europa League/UEFA Cup three times and they have been Champions of Europe twice.

There isn’t a lot to choose between the two teams in terms of recent form, Los Sevillistas are slightly better at four wins, one draw, and one defeat compared to I Bianconeri’s three wins, two draws, and one defeat.

Betting Tip

Juventus are unbeaten in five matches and at odds of 2.58 to win this leg or 3.06 to draw, and I suspect they’ll keep that run going.

Sevilla are slight favourites to win at a price of 2.40, but they will find it hard to beat the wily Italians who will be at full strength again.

I think this tie will go to extra time and I’m going to go for the most likely scoreline: a repeat of the first leg 1-1. And then it’s time to bite your fingernails.

 

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