The 2018/19 Europa League knockout stages begin this week and with the introduction of the teams from the Champions League, we have some great games to enjoy. However, we have a meeting between two teams in Roma who have played in the Europa League group stages as Lazio welcome Sevilla to the Stadio Olimpico.
Both teams have won European competition in the past with Lazio succeeding in the 1998/99 Cup Winners’ Cup and Sevilla dominating the Europa League between 2014 and 2016, winning the trophy five times overall.
Lazio come into this game having rediscovered their form in recent weeks. They have won each of their last three matches, defeating inter Milan on penalties in the Coppa Italia and beating Frosinone and Empoli 1-0 in Serie A.
Trends show Lazio have been tough to beat in the Europa League at home, losing only one of their previous nine games. However, that defeat came in their most recent Europa League outing as they went down 2-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt, a result which saw them finish 9 points behind the German club in second place in Group H.
Lazio have scored in each of their last nine home Europa league games but have failed to keep a clean sheet in each of their last seven.
Sevilla have hit a rough patch domestically in recent weeks, losing 6-1 at Barcelona in the Copa del Rey before going down 1-0 at Celta Vigo in La Liga. They also failed to win on the weekend as they were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Eibar.
Away form has also not been great and Sevilla have lost each of their last four away games in all competitions. They have scored just one goal across those four matches but form in the Europa League has been good and Sevilla have won ten of their last twelve games in the competition.
They won four of their six group games this season to come top of Group J on goal difference thanks to a very good attacking display. Trends show Sevilla have scored 2 or more goals in six of their last nine away games in the Europa League and are sure to carry a threat going forward in this match.
Looking ahead to the team news and Lazio could be without two key players as striker Ciro Immobile and midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic are struggling with a hip and groin injury respectively. There are also doubts over the fitness of Wallace and Luis Alberto.
Sevilla travel with doubts over the involvement of Nolito plus Maxime Gonalons, Joris Gnagnon and Aleix Vidal face fitness tests this week.
Lazio have a good home record in the Europa League but Sevilla have a good record of their own when playing away in this competition. Expect to see goals but if Lazio are without a couple of their first choice players, it could be Sevilla who get the win against the odds.