We look ahead to the Europa League semi-finals with our Juventus vs Sevilla preview, as the Bianconeri aim to build an unassailable lead to take to Spain.
Juventus vs Sevilla: Quick Hits
- Every time they’ve reached the UEFA Cup/Europa League semis, Sevilla have gone on to win the competition.
- Juventus were eliminated from their last Europa League semi-final in 2013-14, losing to a Benfica side who were then beaten in Turin by Sevilla in the final.
- The Bianconeri have won just four of their previous 11 matches in all competitions.
Match Preview
Bacon and eggs. Tom and Jerry. Macaroni and cheese. Batman and Robin. Sevilla and the Europa League. Few clubs have an affinity with one competition that rivals Sevilla’s romantic attachment to the UEFA Europa League – or the UEFA Cup before it.
While that promises to come under threat against Juventus in this semi-final, Sevilla have an astonishing track record of getting the job done in this competition. So, although the Bianconeri head into the tie as favourites, it would take a significantly one-sided scoreline in Turin on Thursday for the Spaniards’ run to be considered over.
After all, Sevilla have reached more Europa League semi-finals than any other team (five), and on each previous occasion they’ve got this far, have gone on to lift the trophy (2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2019-20). It’s also worth noting that doesn’t even count their record in the former UEFA Cup, but the fact remains: the two times they got to the last four of that competition, they went on to win it (2005-06 and 2006-07).
Sevilla’s run to the semi-finals this season has proven a fitting and welcome distraction as well. There’s no denying this has been a difficult season for the club on and off the field. Given the pre-season expectations and how accustomed they’ve become to finishing in the top four, many fans would argue this has been their worst season domestically since being promoted back to La Liga in 2001.
Under the guidance of new coach Jose Luis Mendilibar, things are looking up a little again, and another European semi-final certainly won’t be taken for granted given the wider context of the 2022-23 season.
Yet, Juve will be quietly confident. They’ve progressed from each of their past two major European semis, seeing off Real Madrid (2014-15) and Monaco (2016-17) in the Champions League. Furthermore, they’re unbeaten in 12 matches on home turf in the competition since its rebranding in 2009.
That said, Juve were eliminated in their last Europa League semi-final appearance in 2013-14. Benfica went through to the final on that occasion before losing on penalties to Sevilla in – you guessed it – the Bianconeri’s Allianz Stadium.
Sevilla will be hoping to create more happy memories in Turin on Thursday.
Recent Form
While Juventus have risen back up to second in Serie A after having their points deduction overturned, their form since the start of April has been patchy at best.
In 11 matches across all competitions over that period, Juve have claimed just four wins. Admittedly, two of those have been in the past week, and it’s a run of games that’s seen them face Inter (twice), Napoli and Lazio.
They saw off Sporting CP in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, with their progression providing a moment of jubilation in an otherwise tricky spell.
Juve don’t have a great recent record against Spanish opposition, however, losing each of their past two home games to La Liga clubs in Europe – Barcelona and Villarreal beat them in the 2020-21 Champions League, with the Old Lady failing to score at home against either.
Sevilla, on the other hand, have won each of their past six matches against Italian sides in the Europa League. Every single one of those was in the knockout stages, including a gripping defeat of Inter in the 2019-20 final.
Their form leading into this tie is also more encouraging than Juve’s. Since Mendilibar’s arrival in March, Sevilla have lost one of nine games in all competitions. Of course, they got very lucky in the first leg against Manchester United, but their spirit was rewarded.
That mentality was on display again in their most recent game on 4 May, when they came from 2-1 down to beat Espanyol 3-2. Mendilibar has quickly transformed them into a team potentially chasing European qualification (they’re three points behind Girona in seventh) having taken over a side in danger of being sucked into a survival scrap.
Last Meeting
Sevilla 1-3 Juventus: 11 November 2016 (Champions League)
It’s fair to say the Sevilla vintage Jorge Sampaoli presided over in 2016-17 was much more fun than the one he was in charge of this season until his demise in March.
Nevertheless, Juve left Seville with all three points from this group stage encounter in November 2016. It didn’t always look to be going that way, however.
Nico Pareja’s volley from the edge of the box put Sevilla in front early on at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, but Franco Vazquez’s red card for two bookings in quick succession after the half-hour mark turned the tide in Juve’s favour.
They then won a penalty on the stroke of half-time, Gabriel Mercado penalised for grabbing Leonardo Bonucci, and Claudio Marchisio squeezed a feeble spot-kick under the unconvincing Sergio Rico.
Sampaoli was the next to be shown a red card early in the second half for more protesting, and when Sevilla looked like they were hanging on to a commendable point, Bonucci’s deflected long-range effort put Juventus ahead six minutes from time, just a few moments after Moise Kean became the youngest player this century – at the time – to play in the Champions League.
Mario Mandzukic wrapped up the points with a finish into the bottom-right corner, securing Juve’s progression to the knockout stages. Sevilla went on to finish second in the group but were eliminated by Leicester City – the Old Lady eventually lost 4-1 to Real Madrid in the final.
Key Players
Juventus: Juan Cuadrado
Perhaps not an obvious choice as a “key player”, but there is a logical rationale for the selection of Cuadrado – or, if he doesn’t play, whoever else plays as the right wing-back.
Only two teams in La Liga have delivered more crosses (including corners) and open-play crosses than Sevilla this season. They have very few creative options through the middle, and therefore the flanks is where they look to do much of their attacking.
Shutting down that supply line will do wonders for Juve’s chances in this tie, particularly if they manage to keep Marcos Acuna in check.
The volatile Argentina international averages the fourth most open-play crosses per 90 minutes among defenders (minimum 1,000 minutes played) in La Liga this season (5.1), and although one of those is team-mate Jesus Navas, Acuna’s chances created per 90 minutes (1.8) is much higher than his captain’s, with only Jordi Alba (2.4) and Jose Gaya (2.1) outranking him in this metric.
Cuadrado will likely be the one tasked with keeping Acuna occupied at both ends of the pitch, and the Colombian possesses the quality on the ball to cause the Sevilla star problems of his own going forward.
Sevilla: Youssef En-Nesyri
Morocco striker En-Nesyri is a puzzling player. Some days he looks potentially special, others he looks like Bambi on ice.
But whichever En-Nesyri turns up, you can count on him being an aerial threat – hence why Sevilla cross so often.
Since the start of the 2020-21 season, En-Nesyri ranks second for most headed shots (76) and headed shots on target (27) in La Liga – ahead of him in both is team-mate Rafa Mir (81 and 28), so even if the Moroccan doesn’t start, you can be fairly certain how Sevilla will attempt to do damage.
En-Nesyri leads the way for headed goals (11) in that time, however, which accounts for 35.5% of his league goals. Only four forwards (minimum 10 goals) have a netted a greater proportion of their La Liga goals over the period in question with headers (Luuk de Jong – 70%, Ante Budimir – 43.5%, Taty Castellanos 38.5% and Alvaro Negredo – 37.5%).
He’s also Sevilla’s top scorer in the competition this season (three), with none of his team-mates getting more than one. And his 13 European goals since signing in January 2020 is eight more than any other player at the club in that time.
If Sevilla take a positive result from Turin, En-Nesyri will likely have had something to do with it.
Juventus vs Sevilla Prediction
Perhaps understandable given the general frustration Sevilla have endured this season, the Opta supercomputer makes Juventus big favourites for the first leg in Italy.
It gives Juve a 55.5% probability of winning on the night, making it more likely than a draw or Sevilla win combined.
However, Sevilla may just fancy those odds. A 44.5% chance of getting at least a draw might sound encouraging to some supporters, particularly considering their immense record at home in this competition.
Mendilibar’s side might only have a 20% chance of success in Turin, but the second leg is at their raucous Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, and they’ve already proven they’re capable to putting away top opposition in Nervion.
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