BETDAQ’s Greg Walker is back ahead of the European Finals and World Cup 2014! Today he takes an in-depth look at tonight’s Europa League Final (Kick Off: 7.45pm) between Sevilla v Benfica SL.
Greg is BETDAQ’s spokesperson and has plenty to say on the subject of football. Each week he brings his recommended BETDAQ bets across a range of matches but with focus on his area of expertise – European and International football.
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He now previews the Europa League Final between Sevilla and Benfica SL
Iberian Final….
The Italian city of Turin hosts the 2014 Europa Cup Final this evening and whilst this final will not attract a global audience to match a Madrid Derby Champion’s League final it will produce a football match of very high quality. La Liga based Sevilla FC and Portugal’s most famous club SL Benfica like to play it on the deck and both will endeavour to entertain in the relatively newly built Juventus Stadium.
Both these teams made it to the final in most contrasting circumstances with Sevilla entering from as early as the third qualifying round and Benfica entering from the UEFA Champion’s League. The Portuguese club come in to this final after securing yet another domestic championship but life in La Liga is not so easy for Sevilla whose excellent coach Unai Emery will have had this trophy as his number one target at the start of the 2013-14 season.
Emery Energy….
Sevilla FC Boss Unai Emery is well known for his animated style of management from his touchline area and sometimes expends more physical energy than the players he is instructing on the pitch. Emery has done incredibly well in La Liga since his return to Sevilla from his short stint in Russian football and is rapidly gaining a reputation as a coach of excellent tactical abilities. One example being in this season’s La Liga when he outwitted Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti in recovering a one goal deficit to secure a home win against, a then, in-form Real Madrid.
Fifty nine year old Benfica boss Jorge Jesus is a multiple title winning manager with Benfica since taking over in 2009 and certainly has more ‘street smart’ qualities that his younger counterpart, Emery. Similar to Emery, Jorge is not exactly shy and a touchline clash mid-game would not be double figure odds. Experienced as he is this will be Jesus’s highest point in his football career and despite his vast experiences he will feel the nerves as much as everyone else involved.
Perez Panic….
On paper Benfica come into this game as worthy favourites; unbeaten in eight consecutive Europa League Matches. They looked extremely hard to beat in their semi-final defeat of Juventus and comfortably secured a domestic title with games to go and have secured a place in their National Cup Final.
Both of these teams have had the luxury of resting key players in the past few games, however, Benfica are missing one key player in midfielder Enzo Perez. A red card was shown to the Benfica midfielder in the semi-final and for my money that red card will cost the Portuguese Champions the piece of European silverware that they have so longed to win.
Ivan’s Influence….
Although outsiders in the betting, Sevilla CF will play the way Emery wants them to play and that is the good old Spanish way. Yes their style will leave them vulnerable at the back and chances will be there for Benfica to get on the score sheet, however, the incredible Ivan Rakitic will be key to Sevilla in opening up Benfica’s dour rearguard and I expect a possible Man of the Match performance from the Croatian maestro.
In a match of this stature it may be just that one piece of exceptional individual skill that may be the winning of it and for my money Rakitic will be the man with the magic.
Benfica knocked out Juventus in the semi final so any neutrals in the 41,000 seater stadium will be siding with the Spanish side. Maybe we should join them.
Betting on BETDAQ – Greg’s Tips:
BACK – SEVILLA – DRAW NO BET-5 POINTS @ 2.5
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