Sevilla v Villarreal preview

Sevilla FC might do well to recall their last all-Spanish encounter as they take on Villarreal CF in their UEFA Europa League round of 16 decider, holding a two-goal lead.

What they say
Unai Emery, Sevilla coach: "We have to retain the belief we had in the match in Villarreal but we have to understand that it isn't over yet. We have to compete from the first minute to the last. What we have done before doesn't mean anything now – we still have to play better than them. Our squad is strong. We have a lot of hope for this competition, especially since the winners get to play in the Champions League next season. We have to maintain Sevilla's good relationship with this competition."

Marcelino, Villarreal coach: "We have 90 minutes and must put all our faith in getting through to the next round. Obviously people think Sevilla are favourites as they are the current Europa League holders and they had a good result in Villarreal. We have to be at our best. This competition looks like the Champions League with the quality of teams participating. If we are eliminated I would like Sevilla to win the Europa League."

Previous meetings
• The fastest goal in UEFA Europa League history set the holders on their way to first-leg victory, Vitolo on target after just 13.21 seconds at El Madrigal, beating the previous record of 15.19 seconds set by AEK Athens FC's Ismael Blanco in the inaugural season of the competition on 5 November 2009.

• Stéphane Mbia (28) and Kevin Gameiro (50) then struck either side of Luciano Vietto's effort for the hosts to complete the heaviest UEFA Cup or UEFA Europa League home defeat in Villarreal's history.

• The sides are meeting for the first time in UEFA competition, but have come together in 33 competitive games in Spain: 17 Sevilla wins, eight Villarreal wins and eight draws.

• Sevilla's record against Spanish sides in Europe is W5 D3 L6. They have won their last four UEFA ties against Liga opponents: CA Osasuna (2006/07 UEFA Cup semi-finals), RCD Espanyol (2006/07 UEFA Cup final), Real Betis Balompié (2013/14 UEFA Europa League round of 16) and Valencia CF (2013/14 UEFA Europa League semi-finals).

• In that game against neighbours Betis, Sevilla recovered from a 2-0 first leg home defeat – the same challenge Villarreal must meet if they are to reach the quarter-finals. In the semi-finals, Sevilla lost 3-1 in the return match to Valencia, but went through on away goals by virtue of their 2-0 victory in the teams' encounter a week earlier.

• Villarreal have met Spanish opponents in seven UEFA games with the record W1 D2 L4. In terms of two-legged ties, their record against their fellow countrymen is W1 L2.

Form guide
• Sevilla have won their last six European home games since that aforementioned 2-0 loss to Betis.

• Villarreal have won three of their five European away games this season (W3 D1 L1), with all of those victories coming by margins of two goals or more (3-0, 2-0, 3-1).

• Villarreal are through to the round of 16 for the first time since 2010/11 when they made it as far as the semi-finals, going out to eventual winners FC Porto.

Trivia and links
• Vietto's goal in the first leg means the Villarreal striker is among six players on six goals in this season's UEFA Europa League. Only Alan (FC Salzburg: 8) and Romelu Lukaku (Everton FC: 7) have scored more, and nobody can match Vietto's six assists in this season's competition.

• Villarreal's Denis Cheryshev spent last season on loan at Sevilla but only managed to make five appearances in all competitions, his spell at the club blighted by a series of injuries.

• Sevilla reserve goalkeeper Mariano Barbosa was at Villarreal from 2005–07, making 25 appearances, including both legs of the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League semi-final against Arsenal FC.

• Villarreal winger Joel Campbell spent 2012/13 on loan with Sevilla's city rivals Betis.

• Sevilla forward Gerard Deulofeu and Villarreal midfielder Jonathan dos Santos played together for FC Barcelona B from 2010–12.

• Villarreal are the highest scorers among the sides left in the competition with 21 goals in their nine games since the start of the group stage – an average of 2.33 per game.

• Portuguese defender Daniel Carriço made his 43rd UEFA Europa League outing in Sevilla's win at Villarreal and will equal the competition appearance record, currently held by Paraguayan striker Óscar Cardozo, if he plays in the second leg.

• Sevilla (2006, 2007, 2014) are one of five former UEFA Cup and UEFA Europa League winners in the round of 16 along with SSC Napoli (1989), FC Internazionale Milano (1991, 1994, 1998), AFC Ajax (1992) and FC Zenit (2008).

• Sevilla's Grzegorz Krychowiak is one of six Polish nationals left in the competition who still have the chance of a dramatic homecoming when the UEFA Europa League final takes place in Warsaw on 27 May.

The coaches
• Sevilla boss since January 2013, one-time midfielder Unai Emery switched from playing to coaching at Lorca Deportiva CF. Having led UD Almería to the top tier, he coached Valencia CF from 2008 to 2012, with his side regular European contenders during that spell. More recently, he had a short reign at FC Spartak Moskva.

• Sevilla's success last season means Emery is one of three coaches in the last 16 who have won the UEFA Europa League since the competition took on its current incarnation, along with Zenit's André Villas-Boas (FC Porto 2011) and Napoli's Rafael Benítez (Chelsea FC 2013).

• An attacking midfielder in the Spanish top flight with Real Sporting de Gijón, Villarreal coach Marcelino started coaching early after retiring due to injury aged 28. In charge at El Madrigal since 2013, he has also coached RC Recreativo de Huelva, Real Racing Club, Real Zaragoza and Sevilla.

• Marcelino took charge of Sevilla for the 2011/12 season, but was relieved of his duties in February 2012 after a 2-1 defeat against Villarreal.

Penalty shoot-outs
• Sevilla's record in five UEFA competition penalty shoot-outs is W4 L1 (W0 L1 at home):4-3 v PAOK FC (A), 1990/91 UEFA Cup first round
3-1 v RCD Espanyol (N), 2006/07 UEFA Cup final
2-3 v Fenerbahçe SK (H), 2007/08 UEFA Champions League round of 16
4-3 v Real Betis Balompié (A), 2013/14 UEFA Europa League round of 16
4-2 v SL Benfica (N), 2013/14 UEFA Europa League final

• Villarreal's record in two UEFA competition penalty shoot-outs is W2 L0 (W1 L0 away from home):
4-3 v Torino FC (H), 2003 UEFA Intertoto Cup third round
3-1 v Club Atlético de Madrid (A), 2005 UEFA Intertoto Cup final