Sevilla vs PSV Eindhoven

La Liga underachievers Sevilla play host to high-flying PSV Eindhoven at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in the first leg of their Europa League knockout playoff tie.

Having finished third in their Champions League group behind Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund, four-time Europa League winners Sevilla return to more familiar surroundings for the second season running. ‘Los Rojiblancos’ have established themselves as ‘Europa League knockout specialists’ after progressing from 22 of their last 24 knockout ties in Europe’s second-tier competition, grand finals included. Moreover, Jorge Sampaoli’s men have racked up a whopping 21 wins in their previous 24 home outings in the Europa League proper (D2, L1), registering 15 clean sheets in the process. But Sevilla cannot take anything for granted after experiencing their worst 21-game start to a new La Liga season in the 21st century (W6, D6, L9) despite claiming a 2-0 home win over Mallorca at the weekend.

In the meantime, still on for a treble-winning season following a 6-0 demolition of Groningen kept them within touching distance of Eredivisie pacesetters Feyenoord, PSV Eindhoven will be out to test Sevilla’s continental credentials. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s men head into proceedings on the back of a four-game unbeaten run, accompanied by 13 strikes, looking to arrest their poor recent away record in the Europa League knockout phase. The Dutch heavyweights have lost their last three away games at this stage of the competition, conceding 11 goals at an average of 3.7 per game. But it’s worth noting that Europa League Group A runners-up have managed just one win in their last four encounters against Spanish opposition in Europe’s second-tier competition (D1, L2).