Sevilla wants to storm Turin and bring another European final closer
The Seville, ‘kings’ of the competition, visit a Juventus that has overcome several potholes thanks to its idyll with the Europa League
MADRID, 10 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Sevilla visits Juventus this Thursday (9:00 p.m.) in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals, a duel in which the Andalusians will seek to obtain a positive result that will bring them closer to their seventh final of a competition they are from. reyes’ with six wounded, while the Italians have already forgotten their last slump in recent weeks and will try to neutralize the positive dynamics of Seville by extending their undefeated status in this edition.
The Allianz Stadium hosts a first bet of the semifinals with a Champions flavor. After ‘killing’ Fenerbahçe and Manchester United, in a duel full of epic, Sevilla faces the ‘most difficult yet’ against Juventus, two-time champion of the Champions League and three-time winner of the UEFA Cup. Although little or nothing remains of that Buffon, Barzagli, Marchisio, Khedira, Dybala or Higuaín team that played in two Champions League finals in the last decade.
The Juventus that receives the Sevilla players has been dominated by irregularities in recent months, although they are already second in a Serie A that Napoli have lifted 33 years later. However, the duel against the Italians will be, a priori, the most demanding of the competition for the Andalusians, given the rockiness and strength of the ‘Vecchia Signora’, a well-known ‘old dog’ with a lot of continental experience.
The Italians have yet to lose at home in the Europa League since 2009 – when the competition changed its name – leaving six clean sheets. But now the dangerous En-Nesyri arrives at the Allianz, who is completing an exceptional 2023 with 15 goals. The Moroccan was the scourge of United with a double in the second leg of the quarterfinals, the best night for Sevilla so far this season.
Sánchez-Pizjuán did their bit in an evening in which the mystique of the Nervión team in this competition was once again a decisive factor. His six trophies (2006, 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2020) seem to cast too big a shadow over his rivals, who will now also have to neutralize the practical, effective and committed model that José Luis Mendilibar has instilled in the pupils of he.
Sevilla, who have always won the tournament when they have reached the Europa League semifinals, no longer need the ball as much as with Lopetegui or Sampaoli, with an average possession below 50 percent with the Basque. Avoiding a sterile enjoyment of the ball, now the people of Seville have increased their centers, in a much more direct and vertical version that is paying off.
Mendilibar already has nine games on the Sevilla bench, undefeated in Europe (W1 and D1) and with only one defeat in the League, with 16 out of 21 possible points to virtually save his team, with victory in this Europa League as a great option for play European competition next year.
FERNANDO AND LAMELA RETURN; SUSO IS LOW
In the ups and downs section, Fernando and Lamela return to the squad after missing out on the last domestic victory (3-2) against Espanyol. But Mendilibar will not be able to count on the injured Suso, so Ocampos aims to be his replacement in a midfield completed by Gudelj and Rakitic. Badé and Marcao are fixed in defense, with Navas and Acuña in the lanes, while En-Nesyri does not intend to miss it.
Like Sevilla, Juventus only has one absence in defense, that of the Brazilian central defender Gleison Bremer due to fatigue. Rugani and Bonucci would be the most viable options to enter a defense with Danilo and Alex Sandro. Locatelli would be indisputable, with Cuadrado and Kostic as long wingers, while Allegri reflects on a possible trio of attackers made up of Vlahovic, a great goal-scoring threat –links two games scoring–, Di María and Milik.
The Italians, immersed in the fight to secure the Champions League for next season -second with 66 points-, will seek to continue their last two league victories, the last one, against Atalanta (0-2), of great importance for being the first away from home since mid-March. In direct duels, Juventus has not beaten Sevilla in Turin since 2015, with three wins for the ‘Vecchia Signora’, one for the Andalusians and a draw as a balance, all in the Champions League.
DATASHEET.
–POSSIBLE ALIGNMENTS:
JUVENTUS: Szczesny; Danilo, Bonucci, Alex Sandro; Cuadrado, Fagioli, Locatelli, Rabiot, Kostic; Di María y Vlahovic.
SEVILLE: Bond; Navas, Badé, Marcao, Acuna; Gudelj, Fernando, Ocampos, Rakitic, Lamela; In-Nesyri.
–REFEREE: Daniel Siebert (ALE).
–ESTADIO: Allianz Stadium.
–TIME: 21.00/M+ Champions League.