Juventus vs Sevilla prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2023-05-10 19:00.
Juventus ended their appalling away form over the previous month with a crucial 2-0 win against Atalanta to move them one step closer to a return to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) next season. But for now, their focus shifts back to Turin, where a 1-0 home win against Sporting CP in the quarter-finals of this UEFA Europa League (UEL) was the difference between the two sides.
Perhaps most importantly, manager Max Allegri declared the players are in a “mentally good” state ahead of their semi-final home leg against UEL kings Sevilla, who they last met in the 2016/17 UCL group stage during Allegri’s previous stint as boss! Nine years after their last UEL appearance, in which they were eliminated by Benfica in the semi-finals, Juventus come into the clash unbeaten in this edition (W4, D2) after a series of cagey affairs averaging fewer than two goals per game.
Unlikely to soar into European qualification nor fall into the relegation zone, Sevilla can focus their efforts on their 50th match in the UEL’s knockout phase after almost certainly attaining La Liga safety under new manager José Luis Mendilibar. The 62-year-old made his UEL managerial debut in Sevilla’s 5-2 aggregate quarter-final defeat of Manchester United, which was a feat that even he described as “surprising”.
Mendilibar assessed Juventus as “stronger” and “more challenging” than the English giants, though he’ll know his team are right up to the task after five wins from their last six competitive outings (L1). An away win might be a little too much to ask, considering they haven’t won any of their last six knockout round-away legs (in two-leg ties) played at an opposition venue (D2, L4), nor have Juve ever lost a UEL home fixture (W7, D7).
Players to watch: Dušan Vlahović is finally back in form with Juve’s second goal in each of their last two competitive fixtures, and will be hoping to emulate his three straight scoring appearances for club or country across Sept-Oct 2022. Sevilla winger Papu GĂłmez has faced Juventus more than any other club (23), but has tasted victory only once (D8, L14) and recorded just one goal – in 2010/11!
Hot stat: All but two of Sevilla’s ten UEL matches since the start of 2021/22 saw only the winning team score.