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Europa League semi-final preview: predicting who will reach the final

Between them, these four clubs have won ten UEFA Cup/Europa Leagues, with Roma the only member of the quartet seeking to lift this trophy for the very first time.

All four are on the cusp of reaching the Puskás Aréna on 31 May, so who will be featuring in the final?

Juventus vs Sevilla

These two clubs have won nine UEFA Cups/Europa Leagues between them, so who will remain on course for more glory in Budapest?

Sevilla are the record six-times winners of this trophy, all coming since 2006, including beating Benfica on penalties at Juventus’ stadium in the final nine years ago.

In fact, every time los Nervionenses have reached the last eight of this tournament, they’ve gone on to win the whole shebang.

In this season’s quarter-finals, José Luis Mendilibar’s team came from 2-0 down to, ultimately comfortably, oust Manchester United 5-2 on aggregate.

Nevertheless, los Hispalenses’ best hope of competing in UEFA competition next season is by winning this tournament and, given their history, only a brave individual would back against them doing just that.

Juventus though have pedigree of their own, capturing this trophy in 1977, 1990 and 1993, on top of their seven other continental or intercontinental titles.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men have seen off Nantes, Freiburg and Sporting CP since dropping out of the Champions League, winning the first leg at home 1-0 in each of the previous two rounds.

La Vecchia Signora are looking good for a top four finish in Serie A, providing they don’t have those 15 points taken away again, but are desperate to end their 27-year wait for a UEFA trophy.

Given how strong Sevilla are at home, Juventus will feel a first leg victory at Allianz Stadium is of paramount importance.

Roma vs Bayer Leverkusen

Will last season’s Europa Conference League winners now go all the way in UEFA’s second-tier tournament?

Since the start of last season, Roma have already played 27 matches in Europe, most notably beating Feyenoord 1-0 in the inaugural Europa Conference League Final.

So far this year, I Giallorossi have seen off RB Salzburg, Real Sociedad and then Feyenoord again, prevailing after extra time in last month’s quarter-final.

José Mourinho has previously won this competition twice and, with Roma now seventh in Serie A, he may have to repeat that feat if he’s going to lead la Lupa back into the Champions League.

While this’ll be Mourinho’s 1,099th game as a manager, it’ll be only Xabi Alonso’s 33 match in senior management.

Since taking over Bayer Leverkusen in October, Alonso has taken his team from 17th to sixth in the Bundesliga, despite Friday night’s defeat to local rivals Köln.

In Europe, die Werkself have seen off Monaco on penalties, Ferencváros and then Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

So, this is their first continental semi-final since 2002, beating Manchester United in the Champions League back then, before defeat to Real Madrid at Hampden.

This tie, given that it features Roma, is likely to be low-scoring, with Mourinho’s men desperate to claim a first leg advantage at Stadio Olimpico.

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Ben Gray

Arsenal fan – follow them over land and sea (and Leicester); sofa Celtic supporter; a bit of a football '"encyclopedia".

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