Sevilla and Juventus are poised for an enthralling showdown on Thursday as they battle for a coveted spot in the Europa League final, with the semifinal tie delicately balancing in the air.
Following a 1-1 draw in Turin last week, both teams head to Estadio Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan with a belief in their ability to emerge victorious.
The home side hold an impressive record in this competition, never having lost a tie when playing the second leg on their own turf.
Notably, Sevilla have triumphed in all nine of their knockout contests when playing at home in the second leg, showcasing their unparalleled dominance in Europe's second-tier tournament.
With an impressive track record, the six-time Europa League winners have emerged victorious in 24 of their last 27 matches at the Sanchez-Pizjuan, making them a formidable force to reckon with.
However, they will need to replicate this success once again due to a late setback in the first leg of the semifinal.
Despite leading through Youssef En-Nesyri's first-half strike at the Allianz Stadium, Sevilla saw their advantage slip away in the dying moments when Federico Gatti became an unlikely hero for Juventus, heading in a close-range equalizer deep into stoppage time.
As a result, the Spanish side have only managed one victory in their five encounters with the Italian giants in continental competitions.
The fact that Los Rojiblancos are even vying for a place in the final is a remarkable feat, considering the challenges they have faced during the 2022-23 campaign.
Having gone through three different head coaches this season, they seem to have hit their stride at just the right moment.
Although a recent home defeat to Girona interrupted their seven-match unbeaten streak, back-to-back wins in La Liga against Espanyol and Real Valladolid have propelled them to 10th place in the table.
Instead of relegation concerns, Sevilla now set their sights on securing a top-half finish under Jose Luis Mendilibar, who masterminded their impressive quarterfinal victory over Manchester United to secure a spot in the Europa League's last four.
A triumph in their upcoming match would send Sevilla to Budapest for the final showdown at the end of May, where they could potentially face either Jose Mourinho's Roma or Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen.
However, standing resolutely in their path is Juventus, a team plagued by controversies and underperformance throughout the season.
Eager to reach their first European final since 2017 when they were defeated in the Champions League's grand finale by Real Madrid, the Italian giants have an arduous task ahead.
Despite salvaging a draw in the first leg, they face historical precedents working against them, as they have only managed to win two of their last 17 away games against Spanish sides in knockout competitions.
Their record includes 12 losses and a sole clean sheet.
Nevertheless, Juventus have shown resilience in this year's Europa League campaign, overcoming Nantes, Freiburg and Sporting CP.
With disappointments in the Coppa Italia semifinals and their Serie A standing uncertain, success in Europe represents their best chance to salvage their season.
While the team has had their 15-point penalty overturned, they still face potential consequences that could deny them a top-four domestic finish.
On the pitch, Juventus currently sit in second place in Serie A, with three consecutive victories over Lecce, Atalanta and Cremonese.
However, nothing is guaranteed, and they will be doubly motivated to defeat Sevilla on Thursday, keeping their hopes alive for silverware and a coveted return to the Champions League.
