Europa League 
/ Richard Aikman / 22 February 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Falcao will return from injury to give Sevilla even more headaches
"While seventh-placed Liga side Sevilla were sweating over a 1-0 over Hercules, Porto’s players were rested up over the weekend and also expect to welcome back the competition’s top marksman, Falcao, whose knee injury absented him in Andalucia."
Porto are very much in the driving seat after winning the first leg in Spain and Sevilla will have no option but to go for it. All of which means goals should be on the cards again...
After a close-run first leg, these two outgoing European sides are likely to dish up more goalmouth action in Portugal, with the hosts edging past the luckless Andalucians.
When Freddie Kanouté scored his fifth goal in the competition to cancel out Rolando's opener, the Spanish side looked a good bet to win the match. Indeed, had the Mali striker not missed an open goal, we might have been talking about Sevilla, rather than Porto winning 2-1.
As it was Kanouté inexplicably fluffed his lines and a subsequent mistake in midfield led to Fredy Guarin's late winner. Now Porto are [1.11] to qualify, while the Rojiblancos need an [8.6] miracle to get through to the round of 16.
"The draw would have probably been the fairest result," admitted Porto coach André Villas-Boas, whose side have lost just once since 21 March. "But when Sevilla looked for the second goal, we had the chance to counterrattack."
With Gregorio Manzano's charges in need of at least two goals at the Estadio Dragao, a similar gameplan can be expected from Porto, who are eight points clear in the Portuguese standings. Their European record this term reads: WWWWWDWWW.
While seventh-placed Liga side Sevilla were sweating over a 1-0 over Hercules, Porto's players were rested up over the weekend and also expect to welcome back the competition's top marksman, Falcao, whose knee injury absented him in Andalucia.
Expect the improving visitors, who are [4.8] to win, to come at Porto ([1.82]) - they have to - and for the wily Portuguese, who only need a draw to go through, to pick them off (a repeat of the 1-1 draw they managed against Besiktas in the group stage is priced at [8.6]).
Recommended bet: Back Over 2.5 goals @ [1.79]; Back the Draw @ [4.0];
Porto are very much in the driving seat after winning the first leg in Spain and Sevilla will have no option but to go for it. All of which means goals should be on the cards again......
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