Villarreal dream of Europa League miracle

Reigning Europa League champions, Sevilla will be looking to book their place in the quarter-finals of the competition when they entertain Villarreal in the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Thursday night.

Unai Emery's side will defend a 3-1 lead from the first leg, when Emery won the tactical battle over his opposite number, Marcelino Garcia Toral (himself a former Sevilla boss), because as Villarreal expected Sevilla to take a cautious approach, Emery sent his side on the attack and was rewarded with an opening goal within the first 15 seconds.

It was 2-0 by halftime and virtually game over, with Sevilla's first leg win meaning Villarreal have to score three times on Thursday in order to qualify, although Jonathan Dos Santos is not ruling out a miracle.

"It's gone through our heads that we can do it," admitted the midfielder in an interview with sports paper, Marca.

"Fans dream about miracles happening an so do the players," he said, although he knew it would be "complicated."

"I am certain we are going to have some chances to score and the key factor is to take those chances and be sure that we don't make any errors in defense. We know they are a great side and the reigning champions, but we are travelling with the hope that we can do it," commented Dos Santos.

Sevilla are in a rich vein of form at the moment and as well as being favorites for the last eight of the Europa League, they are currently fifth in the BBVA Primera Liga challenging Atletico Madrid and Valencia for third and fourth place.

With that mind, Emery may make rotations in attack, but he will retain the counter-attacking style of his side knowing that as the game progresses Villarreal will have to leave more and more spaces for players such as Kevin Gamero, Carlos Bacca and Vitolo to exploit. Endi