Sevilla v Shakhtar Donetsk preview: Europa League semi-final team news

Sevilla can book their place at a third-consecutive Europa League final with victory against Shakhtar Donetsk on Thursday.

The 2014 and 2015 winners remain in the hunt for an unprecedented hat-trick of Europa League crowns and are in good shape to make the final in Basel following their 2-2 semi-final first leg draw in Ukraine.

Victory for Unai Emery's side at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan would see them become the first side since Juventus in 1998 to reach three consecutive European finals - Juventus reached four between 1995 and 1998.

Shakhtar, who lifted the trophy in 2009, will have other ideas and head to Sevilla having won their last three European games on the road.

Team news

Sevilla will be without Jose Antonio Reyes (unspecified) and Michael Krohn-Delhi, who severely injured his knee in the first leg in Lviv.

Shakhtar, meanwhile, are missing Marcio Azevedo (knee), while Dentinho and Oleksandr Hladkyy (both unspecified) are doubtful for the trip to Spain.

Opta stats

80% of teams to draw 2-2 away from home in the first leg of a Europa League knockout tie have gone onto progress to the next round (since 2009/10, 8 of 10).

The Ukrainian side have gone five matches without a win over Spanish opposition in European competition (D2 L3); failing to score at all in three of those games.

Sevilla have faced Ukrainian opposition six times previously in European competition; they have never lost (W4 D2).

Sevilla, however, have managed to win 11 of their last 12 home games in this competition, but lost their most recent Europa League match at home (1-2, v Athletic Bilbao).

Both of these teams have never been eliminated in a European competition semi-final. Both teams have always gone on to win the trophy.

All three of the previous matches played out between these teams have seen Sevilla and Shakhtar both score at least twice.

Charlie's prediction

Sevilla just know how to do this, don't they? I'm expecting them to make it an all-Spanish final.

They're a strong and athletic side and Seville is a hostile place to go. They can be patient and Shakhtar will have to have a go, which leaves them vulnerable to the pace of Kevin Gameiro hitting them on the break.

I can see it being quite a free-scoring affair as Shakhtar open up as the game goes on, but I don't think Sevilla will slip up in the pursuit of a third successive Europa League title.

Charlie predicts: 3-1 and Gameiro to score first - Sevilla to reach Europa League final (30/1 with Sky Bet)

Betting

Sevilla are just 1/4 to reach the Europa League final and 8/13 to win on the night, with Shakhtar Donetsk up against odds of 4/1 to win in Spain.

A repeat of the first-leg 2-2 draw is considered a 12/1 chance, while any other draw would be enough to see the hosts progress.

Gameiro heads the first goalscorer betting at 100/30 while Eduardo and Facundo Ferreyra are considered the visitors' main threats at 15/2 apiece to break the deadlock.