Champions League
2008-03-04 - Sevilla vs Fenerbahce
A Sports Betting Pick by Gooner
UEFA Champions League - First knockout round
Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium - Sevilla
Tuesday, 4th March 2008 - KO 20:45 (CET)
THE SITUATION
Sevilla FC have to overcome a one-goal deficit if their debut season in the UEFA Champions League campaign is to proceed to beyond the first knockout round.
A place in the quarter-finals would also be the furthest that Fenerbahçe SK have travelled in the competition and a 3-2 victory in the first leg of the encounter gives the Turkish champions a chance to make the last eight for the first time.
It was an 87th-minute winner from substitute Semih Şentürk in the first leg in Istanbul that gave Fenerbahçe the edge in the tie and also secured their first ever success against Spanish opponents in UEFA club competition.
Şentürk's golden moment came after his team had twice gone ahead early in each half through Mateja Kežman and Lugano before an Edu own goal, and a close-range Julien Escudé finish cancelled them out.
SEVILLA (SPAIN)
In the UEFA Cup Sevilla lost just once in 14 fixtures at the Estadio Ramón Sánche-Pizjuán on their way to winning two Trophies. There were two draws and eleven victories.
The Andalusian have a 100% home record in their first season in the UEFA Champions League. All three of their Group H games have resulted in victories, and they also beat AEK Athens in a preliminary match.
FENERBAHCE (TURKEY)
Fenerbahçe had lost all seven of their previous meetings with Spanish clubs, scoring only two goals and conceding 12 in the process.
Fenerbahçe's unconvincing record on their travels will give the Spanish side's supporters further cause for optimism. Zico's side did not win away from home in the group stage of this year's competition, their fifth attempt to land Europe's grandest club prize.
They gained creditable draws at CSKA Moskva (2-2) and PSV Eindhoven (0-0) – a repeat of either result in Seville would be enough to secure progress to the last eight - before losing 0-3 in Milan.
Earlier Fenerbahce did win 2-0 in Belgium against Anderlecht in a Preliminary stage game.
THE VERDCIT
I feel that the late Fenerbahce goal in the first match did punters a favour in this match - as Sevilla can no longer think of playing for a 0-0 or 1-1 draw in order to qualify.
If Sevilla are going to progress then they need to win this game - and I think that they will
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Sevilla 2-1 Fenerbahce
