Sevilla needs to defend a two-goal cushion as Fenerbahce responds in Istanbul
Sevilla, coached by Jorge Sampaoli, aims to stay alive in the UEFA Europa League as they head into the second leg of the round of 16 against Fenerbahce. The Nervión side currently holds a two-goal advantage from the first leg and must navigate a difficult away challenge to reach the next stage in their preferred competition.
The first leg at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán ended 2-0 in favor of Sevilla, with Jordán and Lamela contributing the goals on March 9. Now, seven days later, the rematch invites the Turkish side to Istanbul where they will try to overturn the deficit and force extra time or a memorable comeback. The result will determine whether Sevilla can march on or leave the competition at this stage.
What result does Sevilla need against Fenerbahce to reach the 2022-2023 Europa League quarter-finals?
Sevilla advances from the tie under several scenarios:
- Win the second leg, regardless of the margin.
- Draw the match in Istanbul, regardless of the scoreline across 90 minutes.
- Lose by just one goal and still progress on aggregate score due to the away-goals rule no longer applying in the traditional double-value way.
If the aggregate score heads to extra time, Fenerbahce would need to win the second leg by multiple goals to overturn Sevilla’s lead, for example by 2-0, 3-1, or 4-2 in the visiting side’s favor, depending on the sequence of goals after regular time. The exact thresholds can shift with the unfolding scoring pattern, but the fundamental principle is that Sevilla remains in control unless Fenerbahce stages a multi-goal comeback.
Sevilla would face elimination if they lose the tie by at least three goals in favor of Fenerbahce across the two legs. In that scenario, the margin would erase Sevilla’s advantage and end their Europa League bid for the season.
It is worth noting that the away goal is not worth double anymore, which influences how Sampaoli’s team approaches the match. The strategy shifts toward maintaining the lead while avoiding unnecessary exposure in attack during the early phases of the game, especially in Istanbul, where conditions can pose additional challenges.
(Goal)