Sevilla's faith in their fringe players will be tested again with the UEFA Cup holders needing a victory over Osasuna on Thursday to reach back-to-back finals.
Juande Ramos's side, who trail 1-0 from the first leg in Pamplona, continue to confound the critics who said they would be unable to maintain a challenge on three fronts, as they also battle for domestic silverware in league and cup.
"We have a lot of confidence in the squad players who don't play that often. Also we have to try and preserve some of the players who are carrying knocks. There are still plenty of games and everyone will get minutes," said Ramos.
"For Thursday, we aren't thinking about the final yet. We have to get past a difficult rival who proved how good they were in the first leg."
Off the field, Sevilla have spent their time rallying the fans to come and get behind the team to create a feverish atmosphere similar to the one the side encountered in Pamplona.
"We are going to need the fans support. They will have to be patient because to win by two goals in Europe is not easy, but we are confident we have the squad to do it," said Sevilla sports director Ramon "Monchi" Rodriguez.
Ramos could move Brazilian fullback Daniel Alves up onto the right side of midfield in place of out-of-sorts Jesus Navas, with German Andreas Hinkel slipping in at right back.
BIG ATMOSPHERE
Osasuna, who started the season in the Champions League qualifiers, have been unflustered by their first European semi-final, and goalkeeper Ricardo has said they will not be put off by the potentially hostile reception awaiting the team in the Sanchez Pizjuan.
"Games are better when there is a big atmosphere. All footballers dream of playing these types of games," said Ricardo.
"We will go out and look for another goal and when it comes to defending we'll fight tooth and nail not to give anything away. On our day we can beat anyone."
They have proven themselves a difficult side to break down and have only lost once in seven away matches in the tournament.
But they fell 2-0 in the league when they last visited Seville back in November.
Osasuna will be without suspended striker Roberto Soldado who scored the only goal in the first leg.
Preview..and look who's the REFEREE
//Ramos could move Brazilian fullback Daniel Alves up onto the right side of midfield in place of out-of-sorts Jesus Navas, with German Andreas Hinkel slipping in at right back.
Was thinking about Daniel Alves or Adriano Correia Claro 1st goal scorer for Sevilla.. @ 13.0
H2H, Osasuna seems to have a pretty good record against Sevilla.. maybe theyre their black sheep?!
Had one wretched short priced winner from 3 bets in the first leg of the UEFA cup last week but it was for big stakes and it might be one worth playing again. I noticed how tight Osasuna have been in the first ½ of their home games both domestically and in Europe to date and backed under 1.5 goals in the first ½. To recap briefly in 8 home European games this season they have yet to be more than 1 in the first half of an Osasun home game. In their 16 homes La Liga games four times have they conceded more than 1 in the first ½ .
There might be a similarly tight performance in this leg. In their 7 European away games Osasuna have only been involved in one game where more than one goal was scored in the first ½. Domestically away from home they have been similarly tight giving up more than one goal only 3 times in 15.
In 32 League games they’ve been involved in 25 games with 1 goal or less. In 15 European games they’ve been involved in only 1 game with more than a solitary goal in the first half. This is one mean defence. Based on those numbers a fair price for less than one goal would be around 1.28 domestically and around 1.08 in Europe. I got 1.38 last week and this week the bet is priced at a whopping 1.49 on Betfair.
I’d add a warning that Seville are second top home scorers in Spain. They have still only been in 4 from 16 home domestic games with more than 1 goal in the first half. Giving an away goal here would probably be fatal to Seville as only Barcelona at home and Madrid away managed more than two against Osasuna you would have to fancy Seville trying to keep it tight in the first half as well.
For the game itself I’ll be cheering Osasuna. They should have had more last week and the farce with the referee killed their momentum in the second half.
4 Points Under 1.5 First half goals @ 1.49 (Betfair)
I've got a feeling Sevilla may win this one tonight more convincingly than people expect. I've not seen them come out anywhere and say as much, but going by the lineups they've fielded of late, it seems that this competition is their priority (strange, as I would've thought they'd be better off going for the Primera Liga title ), and if they get an early goal tonight then I've got a feeling Osasuna may crack. Sevilla certainly have much more experience than Osasuna of late in this kind of situation, and I think that may prove the difference between the two sides.
Sevilla to qualify @ 1.98 4pts
And on a hunch, as he's a player who's impressed me whenever I've seen him this season, very dangerous on the counter attack:
Klose red carded for Bremen...he's more frustrated than my pet rabbit with her phantom pregnancies...he was definitely looking for that 2nd card...what a dive, reminded me of a certain Jürgen Klinsmann
UEFA CUP 3rd May
), and if they get an early goal tonight then I've got a feeling Osasuna may crack. Sevilla certainly have much more experience than Osasuna of late in this kind of situation, and I think that may prove the difference between the two sides.
.GIF "Thumb(1)")
