Preview: Benfica out to break Bela Guttman's curse
A trip to the final of a European competition is never something easy to accomplish. For Benfica, this will be their second Europa League final in as many years, and they will be hoping they have better fortune tonight in Turin.
The Portuguese champions were defeated in stoppage time last year against Chelsea, which resulted in their seventh lost European Final since the Lisbon side dismissed Hungarian manager Bela Guttman. When he left the club, he said that Benfica would not win another European competition in the next 100 years, and that statement has held some credibility up until now.
Benfica has gone up against Spanish sides in European competitions on 22 occasions. They have won only five, drew seven times and they lost ten. But, from Benfica’s two European titles, they were both against a Spanish club. Can they make it three for three tonight against Sevilla?
After a very frustrating end to the season last year, the eagles have bounced back very well.
They clinched the Portuguese League three weeks before their last match, and already claimed their fifth Taça da Liga last Tuesday against Rio Ave. Now they look to continue what could be a historic season, with a European title.
Having eliminated Juventus in the semifinals of the competition, Benfica are the first club to reach the final without a loss. In order to continue their trend of victories, the Portuguese side will have to do so without some key players due to suspension.
Lazar Markovic was sent off against Juventus after he was subbed off. The Serbian youngster had come down to the touchline after Vucinic had engaged in an argument with Artur Morais, which resulted in Mark Clattenburg sending him off.
Despite their continuous requests to have the red card overturned, UEFA has decided to keep the decision, ruling him out of Wednesday’s match.
Enzo Perez and Eduardo Salvio will also be unavailable on Wednesday night. Enzo was sent off in the scoreless draw at Juventus Stadium after two yellow cards, while Salvio got a yellow card late in the match, which rules him out.
Unai Emery will not worry about who he is up against, as long as his side can continue with their fighting spirit and that little glimmer of luck on their side.
The Spanish side are fifth in La Liga, which is an impressive accomplishment considering they lost Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas in the summer. Emery also got the last laugh in the semifinals after eliminating Valencia with a late goal, especially after Los Che dismissed Emery two years ago.
Carlos Bacca will take center-stage tonight for Sevilla, as they will turn to him to break down the Benfica back-line. The Colombian striker had a lot of pressure on his shoulders after Negredo made his way to the Etihad, but with 15 goals in all competitions, he has done very well in his first La Liga season.
Ivan Rakitic will also be a key contributor for Sevilla. The Croatian playmaker is generally known for his ability to get others involved, but this season, he has netted 15 goals along with 13 assists.
Eliminating Juventus has most football analysts believing that Benfica are the favorites to win the competition. Sevilla will not give into that, and they too will believe they can win their first Europa League, after winning back to back UEFA Cup titles in 2006 and 2007.
Where to watch this match - live stream, start time, TV channels, live scores
Watch Sevilla vs Benfica live on Wednesday, May 14, 2014:
In Canada at 14:45 ET on: Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet East, TVA Sports, Sportsnet World Online, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet World, Sportsnet West
In the UK at 19:45 BST on: ITV 4, ITV Player
In the USA at 14:45 ET on: Fox Sports 1 USA, Fox Soccer 2Go »live stream, Fox Sports GO, ESPN Deportes, SiriusXM FC
This is a match you will not want to miss, so if you are outside these viewing areas, be sure to visit the Sevilla vs Benfica match page for full TV listings in your country.
