Sevilla vs Lazio
Coming to the second leg of a Europa League game a goal down is already a tough proposition on its own. Compounding that thought with the idea that your team is playing away from home only makes the entire thing worse.
Finally, the cruel reality that you will be playing against long-time powerhouse Sevilla should be enough to make the game unbearable. Any European match at the Pizjuan is going to be a tough 90 minutes.
This is the reality Lazio have to face when they play on Thursday morning. They will be facing the competition’s winningest side to ever play since its inception in 1971, and their hosts will surely want to add to their already-impressive trophy cabinet. Sevilla vs Lazio odds are also in the hosts’ favour.
However, Sevilla’s recent form gives I Biancocelesti a window to break through the hosts’ seemingly impenetrable wall.
Talking Points
Can Sevilla push past their struggles?
It’s been a tough couple of games for Los Rojiblancos.
January was a tough month for Pizjuan as they suffered a string of tough losses. Subpar results against domestic competition, one of which was a one-sided failure to Real Madrid, saw them falter in the league. They are currently fourth in the table on 37 points, and the three giants in the Spanish game are now out of reach.
They are now embroiled in a tough battle to keep the last Champions League spot. There are five clubs hot on their tail, two of which are overachievers Getafe and Deportivo Alaves. You better believe me when I say that Pablo Manchin is under pressure to pull his team back to winning ways.
Moreover, they also have personnel issues that may distract from the on-pitch action. Andre Silva’s contract with Los Hispalenses is expiring in the summer, and the 23-year-old Portuguese striker is yet to ink a new contract with the team.
Their star man is now constantly linked with a return to AC Milan and Italian football, much to the chagrin of many Sevilla supporters.
Fortunately for them, Sevilla’s Europa League 2019 results have been impressive so far. Moreover, they have the likes of Wissam Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia producing goals left and right. They have the chance to progress past Lazio and have any hope of keeping their centre-forward with the quality of players they have.
Lazio can only charge forward
I may have been painting the hosts as besieged giants, but the same thing can be said about the visitors.
The Rome-based club is currently in the thick of the battle for the last Champions League positions. They are seventh in the league table, way off Juventus, Napoli, and Inter Milan. Simone Inzaghi is probably still confident that they can finish fourth, but their latest setback — a loss away to Genoa — adds another roadblock to their goal.
Of course, they can still try aiming for Europa League while putting up consistent performances in the domestic league, but their star players have to step up and produce.
The most important man for the Biancocelesti is up front. Ciro Immobile already has 11 goals to his name in the league, but he tends to leave his goal-scoring boots behind when they play in Europe as he only has European goal to his name this campaign. He must start scoring belters against Sevilla if they were to make any progress.
Moreover, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic must also step his game up. He has been quiet in Europe, but there’s no reason why he can’t make more of an impact with his strikes or his passes. If he can impose his creativity against Sevilla, we are ensured of an entertaining matchup.
History
This series is the first time these two European giants have played each other, so there was plenty of interest to see how the game turned out. Ben Yedder provided quality beyond compare as his 22nd-minute goal gave Los Rojiblancos a very important away goal in the first leg.
However, Sevilla’s advantage ends there. Sevilla and Lazio are going through rough patches of form, and both sides have three defeats in all competitions. One can argue that Sevilla’s 6-1 defeat to Barcelona was soul-crushing, but another man would refute by saying Genoa had no business winning over Lazio in that manner.
Betting Tip
Sevilla vs Lazio | Sevilla Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.05 | |
20 Februari 2019, 03:00 WIB |
Sure, Lazio have a chance at cracking Sevilla away to force an extended period of football. However, it’s simply impossible to imagine Sevilla losing to a European rival at home.
The last time Los Rojiblancos lost in the Europa League at home was against Royal Betis. Since then, they have been able to keep out strong sides like Valencia, Feyenoord, and Fiorentina from scoring in their net. Meanwhile, Lazio have lost five of their last European excursions.
The odds are heavily stacked against Lazio. Even with the SBOBET Europa League markets giving enough of a handicap against Sevilla, the fact still exists that they are the team to beat in this contest. Unfortunately, few people think they have what it takes to cause an upset.
If you sincerely believe in Lazio winning, though, there are interesting bets to make with your favourite bookies. Over 2-3 Goals offer interesting odds as well as the Double Chance market. A 0-1 correct score also promises great riches.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR () BETS ARE WORTH: | |||
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= €20 (Highly confident) | = €10 (CONFIDENT) | = €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT) |
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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