IT has been another disappointing season for Juventus after years of domestic dominance but they have a chance to end the campaign on a high if they can see off Sevilla to reach the Europa League Final.
The Turin giants don't want to be slumming it in Europe's second-tier competition but they are now 2/1 favourites to lift the trophy after Manchester United were knocked out by Sevilla in the last eight.
Max Allegri's return to Juventus hasn't gone to plan so far, with the 55-year-old yet to add to the 11 trophies he amassed during his hugely successful first spell at the helm.
Crashing out of the Champions League at the group stage was a major let down but he had Juve on track for a return to Europe's top table with his side currently in second place behind new Serie A kings Napoli.
However, the threat of a points deduction for financial problems threatens to send them spiralling down the table so winning the Europa League might be the only way to secure that Champions League slot.
And getting past a Sevilla side who come alive in this tournament will be far from easy. I thought the English media were way too dismissive of Sevilla's chances against Manchester United in the last round, which was based mainly on their poor domestic form.
I cashed in by backing BTTS in the first leg at Old Trafford as the La Liga side came from 2-0 down to draw and Sevilla finished the job in style by thrashing a ragged United side 3-0 in Spain.
Those two matches with Manchester United are part of a superb run of form for Sevilla who have lost just once in their last nine in all competitions. Relegation worries have been banished in La Liga and they head into this game with their tails up after a 3-2 win over Espanyol.
How the bookies view it
Juventus are odds-on for a win at home in the first leg at a best 17/20 with BetUK, with the price even shorter for them qualifying at 7/10 with LiveScoreBet. Sevilla are 7/5 at VBet to reach the final and 43/10 with the same firm for a win in Turin. Backing a first-leg stalemate pays 13/5 with Bet365.
Head to head
These sides have only faced off four times before, with all those games coming in the Champions League. Juventus have the edge with two wins and just one defeat. But it ended in a 0-0 stalemate when Sevilla last came to Turin in 2016.
Players to watch
It's hard to look past Dusan Vlahovic for a Juventus goal with the Serbian needing just one more strike to take his tally for the season to 20. He's 9/5 with William Hill for anytime scorer which looks a decent price.
Lucas Ocampos caught the eye in the win over Manchester United and heads into this tie in scoring form, with two goals in his last three outings. The winger is 23/4 for anytime scorer and McBookie price him at a tempting 7/1 for an assist.
Anything else catch the eye?
Neither side has been solid in defence this season so that suggests BTTS stands a chance at 11/10 with William Hill. There isn't much between these teams so a one-goal winning margin for either side appeals at 13/10 with McBookie.
Juventus have been playing with wing-backs and Filip Kostic sets up plenty of chances with his deliveries from the left. That makes him a good option for an assist, with McBookie pricing him at 19/10 to set a goal up.
Sevilla's players struggled with discipline at Old Trafford, most notably left-back Marcos Acuna. I got the Argentinian at whopping 9/1 with LiveScoreBet for a card although the odds are much shorter with major firms, as Paddy Power price him at just 9/4.
This UEFA Europa League match between Juventus and Sevilla will be played on May 11, 2023 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best Juventus vs Sevilla prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
