Sevilla vs PSV prediction: EUROPE: Europa League – Play Offs betting tips on match 2023-02-15 20:00.
After missing out on the Champions League knockouts, four-time UEFA Europa League (UEL) winners Sevilla take part in the latter stages of the competition for a second season running. A European night is likely to be a welcome distraction for the domestically underperforming Spanish side, who have made their worst 21-game La Liga start in this century (W6, D6, L9).
A run of three wins from their last four league games has given Sevilla a cushion to the relegation zone, allowing them room to breathe ahead of this first leg against Dutch title chasers, PSV. Superstitious Sevilla fans may take heart from drawing Dutch opponents, as despite losing two of their three prior clashes against such sides (W1, L2), they actually went on to win both tournaments during those years (2006/07 and 2014/15)!
Their credentials in terms of potentially repeating that feat will be put to the test by Ruud van Nistelrooy’s PSV. The Eindhoven outfit are still on for a treble-winning season, with four unbeaten games plus 13 goals scored putting them in the quarter-final of the KNVB Beker and placing them just four points behind the Eredivisie leaders, Feyenoord.
Scoring bags of goals has been synonymous with PSV in Europe this term, as they were the highest scoring side across the UEL group stage with 15 goals. That fluid attack will need to be in full flow once again if they are to improve on a poor historical record against Spanish opponents though (W5, D13, L16), with an even worse record to contend with when playing on Spanish soil (W1, D5, L11)!
Players to watch: Sevilla’s Youssef En-Nesyri comes to life away from the league. Six of his nine 2022/23 goals came in cup competitions and he’s bagged four match openers in wins ‘to nil’. This could be an emotional return for PSV’s Luuk de Jong. The imposing striker signed from Sevilla in the summer after famously scoring a brace for the Andalusian club in their 3-2 2020 UEL final victory over Inter Milan.
Hot streak: PSV have lost each of their last four two-legged ties against Spanish opponents.