Wednesday 22nd February 2016 Kickoff: 1945hrs Sevilla v Leicester City Football – Europe – Champions League It’s not often you get a team threatened by relegation in their domestic league competing at this stage of the Champions League but that’s the case as Leicester City prepare to take on Sevilla on Wednesday. The Foxes are really struggling in the Premier League this season, only a matter of months after surprising the whole of Europe by winning the title. Whilst their participation in the premier European club competition will be valued and taken seriously, they will almost certainly be concentrating their efforts on survival. Sevilla have been the surprise package in La Liga this season and look capable of going further in the Champions League.
Much was made around the departure of Unai Emery from Sevilla to PSG in the summer with some skepticism around his replacement – former Chile national team boss, Jorge Sampaoli. That has proven to be completely unfounded as the new coach appears to have taken Sevilla to new levels, some feat considering they had won back to back Europa Leagues. They’re currently third in the table behind ‘the big two’ and whilst their title chances are slightly more remote than a month or so ago, look capable of finishing ahead of Atletico which would be their highest finish for years. Their participation in the Champions League has obviously been positive, too, as they’ve reached the knockout stage for the first time since 2010. Their only defeat in the group stage came against Juventus and although they finished second, the current predicament of their opponents Leicester means they have a very realistic chance of making it to the quarter finals for the first time in their history.
It doesn’t take long in football for past achievements to be forgotten, and that’s something that Claudio Ranieri is fast finding out. His team pulled off a massive shock back in May by winning the title and to then back that up by qualifying top in their first ever Champions League campaign suggested this team were capable of producing even more surprises. However, as they were accounting for the likes of Porto and Copenhagen in Europe, their performances and results were indicating some concern domestically. Leicester have lost 14 and won just five in the league this season, resulting in them being just one point outside the bottom three. Matters were made even worse on Saturday as they crashed out in the FA Cup to League One Millwall. That loss has only ramped up the pressure on their Italian manager and whilst they have surpassed expectation in this competition thus far, he remains very much a man under the spotlight heading into Wednesday.
Sevilla v Leicester City Betting Tip
If this game had been played when the draw was made back in December I would have expected a very different betting market, even accounting for Leicester’s struggles at that point. 2017 has been awful for them thus far and with only one win in their last nine they could barely be in worse form. Sevilla are in a completely different place as the y look to prove they are not just Europa League specialists, and they have what seems an excellent opportunity to progress further than they have ever managed before in this competition.
It’s not original advising a home win considering the paltry odds that are available so we’ll look elsewhere for a bet whilst still keeping the expected home win on our side. Leicester have failed to score in four of their last five away games and never notched in two of their three away games in the group stage. Sevilla may not keep many clean sheets but I feel they have what it takes to shutout their opponents on this occasion.
Sevilla to win to nil 11/10 @ Stan James
