It’s down to the final eight in the UEFA Europa League.
Juventus looks to move one step closer to reaching the final at its home stadium, while Porto and Benfica seemed destined to clash in a future round. Spain is also well represented by Valencia and Sevilla, but maybe AZ Alkmaar, Basel or Lyon will strike a blow of pride for their respective countries.
Here’s a look at the match-ups.
Thursday programming alert: Watch Olympique Lyonnais vs. Juventus (on Sportsnet), Porto vs. Sevilla (on Sportsnet ONE) and AZ vs. Benfica (on Sportsnet World). Also, watch Basel vs. Valencia exclusively on Sportsnet World Online. Live coverage begins at 3:o0 pm ET/Noon PT. | TV schedule
Lyon vs. Juventus
Juventus’ dream sequence of hoisting the Europa League trophy on their home turf is slowly coming to fruition, with the final scheduled to be played at Juventus Stadium on May 14. The Bianconeri’s exit from the Champions League was a bitter pill to swallow, though most Juve fans will agree that the timing of the club’s underachievement in Europe’s premier competition could not have been better. Antonio Conte has guided his side to an unbeaten record (three wins one one draw) since joining the Europa League, conceding a single goal in the process and securing three clean sheets. Interesting note: Carlos Tevez’s last European strike came for Manchester United in April 2009.
Despite being a non-factor in their domestic title race, Lyon has been quite consistent in Europe this season, and yet to be beaten on home soil in the competition (four wins and one draw). Success has been achieved through a strong defensive mindset, having only been breached six times in 10 matches, producing clean sheets in half of those outings. The biggest obstacle facing les Gones is a lack of goal production and the inability to convert chances created. Aside for the 6-2 aggregate victory over Viktoria Plzen in the round of 16, Lyon only managed to score seven goals total in their previous eight games in the competition.
Porto vs. Sevilla
The day of redemption has finally arrived for Sevilla. Three years after losing the Europa League final to Porto, the visitors will hope to capitalize on the Dragao’s poor home form in Europe and inflict even more misery on the Portuguese champions in what has proven to be a disappointing domestic campaign. The Estadio Dragao has been uncharacteristically unkind to the hosts, as the 1-0 victory over Napoli in the first-leg of the previous round was the only time Porto supporters left the stadium in good spirits. Luis Castro will be hoping that the morale-boosting win in Naples (3-2) that secured their place in the last eight has provided the optimal launch-pad to guide the club to its third title in this competition (2003, 2011).
The journey to the final in Turin began eight months ago for Sevilla, having started out in the third qualifying round. Los Rojiblancos became the longest survivors in the Europa League this season after their penalty shootout derby defeat of Andalusian rivals Real Betis. The victory also extended Sevilla’s unbeaten away record in Europe, winning five of their seven fixtures in the current campaign.
AZ Alkmaar vs. Benfica
Last season’s defeated finalists travel to Alkmaar for the first leg of their quarterfinal tilt in good spirits, having dispatched Tottenham in the previous round and holding a seven point lead at the summit of their domestic table with five fixtures remaining. Benfica are well on their way to erasing the toxic memories from the previous year, which in a two week span saw the Eagles succumb to the pressures of a historic treble and coming away empty handed. Unfortunately, the team’s record away to Dutch opposition is less than ideal—winless in their last seven attempts. Benfica may be the favourites, but it would be incredibly reckless to overlook the threat posed by the hosts.
Alkmaar are the only team remaining in the Europa League with an unbeaten record from the group stage (five wins and five draws), and have also kept three clean sheets in their four knockout round matches (one goal conceded). It’s worth mentioning that their road to the last eight hasn’t been the most challenging—topping a group consisting of Maccabi Haifa, Shakhter Karagandy & PAOK Salonica, before easing passed Liberec and Anji Makhachkala. The Lisbon giants will provide Dick Advocaat with his sternness test in the competition.
Basel vs. Valencia
Despite going down a man within 10 minutes and conceding an early first-half goal away to Red Bull Salzburg in the previous round, Basel showed tremendous resilience in the face of adversity and overcame their initial misfortunes. Second-half goals from Marco Streller and Gaston Sauro in a 10 minute span reversed the tide and secured the Swiss champions a second consecutive appearance in the last eight of the Europa League. One of the four remaining teams to have dropped down from the Champions League, Basel are undefeated in their four matches in this competition (two wins and two draws) and have yet to concede a goal in both of their home fixtures at St. Jakob-Parc. Murat Yakin is hoping to duplicate and possibly surpass last season’s semifinal appearance (losing to eventual champions Chelsea), the club’s best finish in the competition.
Since an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Swansea City at the Mestalla to kick off the group stage, Valencia are on a nine game unbeaten run (seven wins and two draws) and have definitely become one of the favourites to contest the Europa League final in Turin. Los Che ended the Cinderella run of Bulgarian champions Ludogorets Razgrad in the previous round, and Ukrainian powerhouse Dynamo Kiev suffered a similar fate at the start of the knockout stages. Valencia failed to concede a single goal in those four matches (equalling the competition record), and have shown to be more threatening away from home—winning all five of their games in Europe this season. It will also be to the visitors’ advantage that the match on Thursday will be played behind closed doors—punishment by UEFA for fan hooliganism during Basel’s victory in Salzburg.
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