Sevilla vs Villanovense Predictions

As the La Liga side, Sevilla were of course expected to run riot when they took on third division team Villanovense, though they were met by a stubborn rear-guard, one that managed to shut them out for the entirety of the first leg. Now back on their own patch, the Andalusians will be hoping to showcase their superiority by recording a convincing win.

The first leg of this tie was very much a match to forget as far as Sevilla are concerned. Not only did they fail to win, but they both failed to score and failed to dominate in terms of clear-cut chances created. The third-tier hosts didn’t create much, but they still outdid the La Liga side in that respect, such was the level of Sevilla’s performance on that occasion. Fortunately, Pablo Machín’s men have the chance to make amends in front of a home crowd, which is where they’ve done most of their best work this season.

In front of their own fans, Sevilla have delivered several impressive attacking performances this season. The Andalusians have lost just one of their seven home games during the current campaign, while they’ve won each of their last five, scoring a total of ten goals. What’s more, Wednesday’s hosts are averaging a very impressive 2.09 expected goals at Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. In addition to that stat, Machín’s men currently rank as the best team in La Liga when it comes to overall expected goals for.

Unlike the hosts, who’ve looked good when plying their trade in front of their own fans, Villanovense have struggled to get going when playing away from home this season. Wednesday’s visitors have won none of their seven away games in Segunda B, while they’ve kept just two clean sheets during that time. What’s more, they have a worrying average expected goal difference of -0.50. Moreover, of the 80 teams that make up the different groups in Segunda B, Villanovense currently rank as the fifth worst (or 75^th) in terms of expected goals for. Such woes do not bode well ahead of a trip to face the side that currently tops that table in La Liga.

Regardless of what happened in the first leg, where Sevilla clearly cruised knowing that they can finish the tie on their own patch and given that the hosts have thrived from a creativity point of view on their own patch, coupled with the fact that Villanovese have struggled immensely to create away from home in the third division, ‘Sevilla -2 Handicap’ is the bet that gets the nod.

As they have done in each of their last two home Copa del Rey matches against third-tier opponents, the Andalusians can show what their made of and win by a clear margin.