Lazio – Sevilla SOCCER PICKS
Lazio and Sevilla meet at Stadio Olimpico, in a match for this phase of the UEFA Europa League (16th Finals). This will be the first direct confrontation between these two teams, as they have never faced each other before. Sevilla presents considerable differences in their results at home and as a visitor, so in this game the home factor may be decisive.
Lazio:
The home team got access to this phase of the UEFA Europa League (16th Finals) after the 2nd place won in Group H, with a total of 9 points. This is a team that usually maintains its competitive level in home and away matches, since in the last 30 matches they register 6 wins, 3 draws and 6 losses in away matches; against 9 wins, 3 draws and 3 losses at their stadium. The team comes to this match after a home victory over Empoli by (1-0). In the last 10 home matches for all competitions, Lazio won 5, tied 3 and lost 2. The team has not been very strong defensively, since they have suffered goals in the last 6 matches, but their attack has scored with regularity, as they have scored goals in 5 of the last 6 matches for this competition. In 15 games, he never got the comeback in the 7 games in which he suffered the first goal.
Lazio enter this game with a triumph, 1-0, at the reception of Empoli, adding the second consecutive victory in this competition: the only goal of the match was scored by Caicedo. We emphasize that the Italians finished the group stage of the Europa League in the 2nd position, with 9 points won. The whole of the house usually acts in a 3-5-2, favoring a faster style of play, channeling, mostly, their game through the flanks. In this tactical design, the two most advanced players are Caicedo and Immobile, the latter being the best Lazio marker, with 15 goals scored. Coach Simone Inzaghi can not count on Wallace, Milinkovic-Savic and Lukaku, all injured.
Sevilla:
The visiting team reaches this stage of the UEFA Europa League (16th Finals) after having finished the group stage in the 1st position of Group J, with 12 points won. This is a team that usually makes good use of the home advantage, stronger with the help of its supporters, since in the last 30 matches they register 3 wins, 5 draws and 7 losses in away matches; against 12 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss at their stadium. In the last match they played, for the First Division, they drew with Eibar at home (2-2). In their last away game, for the First Division, they lost by (1-0) against Celta de Vigo. In the last 6 away league matches Sevilla has a record of 4 wins and 2 losses. Their attack has scored regularly, since they have scored goals in 9 of the last 10 matches for this competition. This is a team that usually scores many times first: it opened the scoring in 11 of its last 12 matches for the UEFA Europa League, of these 11 it reached the break in advantage in 10 and managed to maintain the advantage until the end of the 90 ‘in 10. In the last 20 home matches for all competitions there is 1 period highlighted: he suffered 13 of his 29 goals between the minutes (76’-90 ‘).
Sevilla enter this performance after a draw, 2-2, at the reception to Eibar, adding the third official game without victory: the goals of the team were marked by Ben Yedder and Pablo Sarabia. We remember that the Spaniards finished in the 1st position of Group J, with 12 points conquered, the same ones from Krasnodar. The visiting team usually acts in a 3-5-2, privileging a more organized style of play, attacking, preferably, through the central corridor. In this tactical system, the two most advanced players will be André Silva and Ben Yedder, while Mesa, Banega, Escudero, Sarabia and Jesús Navas will play in the middle zone. For this game coach Pablo Machín can not count on Aleix Vidal, Arana and Nolito, players recovering from injury.
