Both sides are optimistic about coming out on top at Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, where the home side has never lost a tie in this competition when hosting the second leg. Sevilla have, in fact, progressed from all nine of their knockout contests when at home in the second leg, during an era of unprecedented supremacy in Europe's second-tier competition. The six-time champions have won 24 of their last 27 Europa League games at the Sanchez-Pizjuan, but they will have to do so again this week due to a late lapse in the first leg of their most recent semi-final. Sevilla led thanks to Youssef En-Nesyri's first-half goal at the Allianz Stadium, but they let it slip right at the end when Federico Gatti became an unexpected hero for Juventus by nodding in a close-range equalizer with 96 minutes remaining. As a result, the Spanish team has won only one of the clubs' five continental meetings. Given how their 2022-23 campaign has transpired, Los Rojiblancos are even in contention for a place in the final, where either Roma or Bayer Leverkusen will await. The Andalucians have three head coaches this season, but they appear to be peaking at the appropriate time. Though a home loss to Girona broke Sevilla's seven-match unbeaten streak, back-to-back La Liga victories - over Espanyol and then, last weekend, Real Valladolid - have propelled them to tenth place in the table.
 

Of course, Juventus stand in their way, and after a season marred by controversy and underperformance, the Italian giants will now aim to reach their first European final since 2017, when they were defeated in the Champions League final during Max Allegri's first spell in charge. Despite rescuing something from the first leg, Juventus nevertheless travel to Spain with the weight of precedent against them, having won only two of their last 17 away games against Spanish opponents in knockout action, losing 12 times and maintaining just one clean sheet. More recently, though, the Bianconeri have seen off Nantes, Freiburg, and Sporting CP in this year's Europa League, and as they fell in the Coppa Italia semi-finals and their Serie A status is built on shifting sand, winning in Europe represents their best hope of success this season. Though Juventus have had their 15-point penalty overturned, in the final reckoning - when two verdicts will be reached later this month - they still face a punishment that could see them effectively stripped of a top-four domestic finish. On the pitch, three straight wins - over Lecce, Atalanta, and most recently, Cremonese - see Allegri's side sit second in the standings, eight points clear of fifth-placed Milan with only three games left to play. However, in these conditions, nothing is guaranteed, so they will be doubly determined to overcome Sevilla on Thursday and maintain their prospects of winning some trophy and, as a result, returning to the Champions League.

(Image by: The Analyst)