PSV is linked to Sevilla in the draw for the intermediate round in the Europa League in Nyon, Switzerland. Ruud van Nistelrooij’s team already knew in advance that one of the numbers three from the Champions League group stage would be the opponent. The first match will be played on Thursday, February 16, 2023 in the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, a week later the return will take place in Eindhoven.
Before the knockout phase of the Europa League starts, there is first an intermediate round. In it, the eight numbers two from the group stage of the Europa League compete against the eight numbers three from the Champions League. Because clubs from the same country cannot yet meet in the intermediate round, the Eindhoven players could not be linked to Ajax.
PSV had a good European campaign. However, the Eindhoven team had the bad luck in Group A of the Europa League that they had to compete with Arsenal for the group win. Van Nistelrooij’s team took thirteen points in six games. In three of the other seven Europa League groups, this would have been enough for a first place and thus direct qualification for the knockout phase of the tournament. Because of the second place, they are, just like Ajax, sentenced to a play-off round.
PSV knew in advance that a Champions League participant would roll out of the tube. A diptych with Barcelona, Red Bull Salzburg, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, Sporting Portugal or Shakhtar Donetsk was also possible. It eventually became Seville. They qualified for the intermediate round by finishing third in Group G of the Champions League behind Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund. Los Rojiblancos are disappointing in LaLiga so far. Trainer Julen Lopetegui was fired in early October due to disappointing results. His successor Jorge Sampaoli has also not yet got Sevilla to work. The Spaniards are in seventeenth place with eleven points from thirteen matches.
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