The Europa League semifinals take place on Thursday night with three Spanish clubs and a Portuguese outfit battling it out for the spots in the decider.
Sporting Lisbon v Athletic Bilbao
Domestic form
Sporting are well out of title contention in Portugal after a season to forget. The Lisbon outfit currently are fourth in the Portuguese Liga, 13 points off the pace and eight points behind third-placed Braga with four games to play, meaning they’re no chance to qualify for the Champions League next term. They have won three in a row, including a good 1-0 win over second-placed Benfica last week.
Bilbao have had another solid season, currently sitting up in seventh, with their Uefa Champions League aspirations still in tact but becoming more remote, as they are six points behind fourth place with five games to play. Athletic’s recent form has been okay, with 1-0 home wins over Mallorca and Sevilla although they haven’t won away in La Liga since January.
Team news
For Sporting, Daniel Carrico is back from suspension, but Jeffren Suarez is battling injury, while Fito Rinaudo and Alberto Rodriguez are out and Elias is ineligible for European competition. Bruno Pereirinha and Oguchi Onyewu are fit again but unlikely to start.
Key man Iker Muniain missed the weekend’s win over Mallorca but is fit to play in a major boost for Bilbao. However, the bad news is the suspension of Javi Martinez.
Managers
Sporting manager Sa Pinto:”If I read the press I see Athletic are already in the final. But we are Sporting: we have 106 years behind us and we have history in Europe. We respect everybody, we are humble, don’t fear anyone and we’ll fight until the end. We are the only Portuguese team in Europe now - we’re proud of that - and we’ll give everything to keep on dreaming.”
Bilbao boss Marcelo Bielsa: “It will be a different challenge but like United and Schalke, Sporting are an industrious side. There is a perception that they do not take the initiative quite so much, that we will have free rein to attack, but I am not so sure.”
The verdict
Sports Pundit predicts; Sporting Lisbon 1-2 Athletic Bilbao
Domestic form
Atletico sit eighth in La Liga with their 2011-12 campaign riddled by inconsistency. Radomel Falcao scored the winner on the weekend as they got past Rayo Vallecano 1-0 on the road, but prior to that they’d suffered consecutive defeats to Real Madrid and Levante.
Unai Emery’s Los Che are well and truly in the race for third spot but have struggled for form since the turn of the year. On the weekend they were humbled 4-0 by Espanyol but they retain third place for now.
Team news
Atletico will be without duo Antonio Lopez and Silvio Pereira who are still working their way back from injury, while Diego Godin is out suspended.
Victor Ruiz should be available after missing the weekend’s game while Hedwiges Maduro and Sergio Canales are both fit again after recent injuries, but are unlikely to force their way into the starting line-up. Antonio Barragan is out suspended.
Managers
Atletico boss Diego Simeone: “We respect our opponents, but are doing so without taking the focus off our team. Concentration is essential for us. For Atletico, it is a huge thing to be back to playing in another European semi-final. It is something for us to enjoy. To get here, the players have worked very hard and we hope to have a full stadium tomorrow.”
Valencia manager Unai Emery: “These are games where players have to have the capacity to make a difference. This may be a clear reference point for Roberto (Soldado). It should not be a source of pressure for him, but rather a natural step in his growth.”
The verdict
Sports Pundit predicts; Atletico Madrid 1-1 Valencia