Athletic Bilbao have work to do if they are to book their place in the semi-finals of the Europa League when they travel to the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan to face Sevilla on Thursday night.

Sevilla beat their Spanish rivals 2-1 away from home in the first leg of their quarter-final and are on course to make tournament history as they go in search of a third straight triumph.

Sevilla

The Europa League certainly has its detractors, but it is a competition that has been very kind to Sevilla to recent years.

The La Liga outfit have lifted the trophy in both of the last two seasons, and should they go all of the way again this time around then they would be the first team to win Europe's secondary club competition three times on the bounce.

No team has managed a hat-trick of UEFA competitions since Bayern Munich lifted their third consecutive European Cup in 1976, and Sevilla have already made a slice of history by becoming the first team to compete in the quarter-finals of the Europa League three years in a row.

They are the most successful team in the competition's history having won the trophy four times, the other two of which came in back-to-back years as well, in 2006 and 2007.

Their participation in the Champions League prevented them from going for three in a row in 2008, but this time around their third-place finish in the group stages of Europe's top-tier club competition saw them drop back into the tournament which has given them so much success.

They look to be on course for yet another appearance in the last four too, having built up 2-1 lead in their away first leg against Athletic Bilbao last week - their first away victory in Europe this season.

They needed to come from behind to do it as goals from Timothee Kolodziejczak and Vicente Iborra cancelled out Aritz Aduriz's opener, meaning that they simply need to avoid defeat on Thursday to progress.

The form book suggests that will be the case, with Sevilla having won a record 11 straight home games in this competition, the last three of which have all been by a 3-0 scoreline.

A 12-point gap between themselves and fourth-placed Villarreal in La Liga means that another success in this tournament is their only realistic chance of returning to the Champions League next season, with three consecutive league defeats all but ending their hopes of challenging the top four.

That run includes a 2-1 loss at the hands of Real Sociedad in their most recent outing in front of their own fans - a defeat that ended a 17-match home winning streak for Unai Emery's men in all competitions that stretched all the way back to November.

Recent form: WWLDWW
Recent form (all competitions): WWLLWL

Athletic Bilbao

Athletic will go into their 150th match in European competition as heavy underdogs to progress following their defeat in last week's first leg.

Things looked promising when Aduriz opened the scoring early in the second half at San Mames, but they were quickly pegged back and eventually succumbed to Iborra's late winner.

However, with Aduriz in the side they will always feel like they have a chance. The evergreen striker is the top scorer in this season's competition with nine goals, and should he hold on to that title then he would be the oldest player in UEFA Cup/Europa League history to finish as the leading marksman - a record currently held by Alan Shearer.

While Sevilla dropped into the last 32 via elimination from the Champions League, it has been a long road to this stage for Athletic, who are one of only two teams remaining in the competition who began in the third qualifying round.

Thursday's match will be their 16th in the tournament this season, and in each of the last 13 they have managed to score at least one goal, which should give some confidence to the visitors heading to Seville.

However, they have only scored once in each of their last five Europa League outings, which wouldn't be enough for them to progress from this tie courtesy of Sevilla's two away goals in the first leg.

Ernesto Valverde's side have had a mixed record on the road in this competition this season, with three wins, a draw and three defeats from their seven outings - including a 2-1 defeat at Valencia in another all-La Liga clash in the last round.

That sparked a four-match winless streak in all competitions for the Basque outfit, but they did at least return to winning ways at the weekend as Inaki Williams scored the only goal of the game to see off Rayo Vallecano.

The result saw Athletic keep their slim hopes of Champions League football alive, although time is fast running out for them to close the nine-point gap on Villarreal in fourth place.

They are at least still three points ahead of the team they face on Thursday, though, occupying the final Europa League spot with a potential winner-takes-all meeting with Sevilla on the final day of the league season looming.

Recent form: DWDWLL
Recent form (all competitions): WLLDLW

Team News

The hosts will be without midfielder Ever Banega for this game due to suspension after he picked up a yellow card in the first leg.

Benoit Tremoulinas lasted just 12 minutes before being forced off with a hamstring injury in that match and he remains a doubt this week having missed Sunday's defeat to Valencia.

Daniel Carrico, who has made more Europa League appearances than any other player in history (51), has been sidelined for almost a month with a similar problem but could be in line to return in this game.

Athletic, meanwhile, will be without Williams after he picked up a hamstring injury having scored the winning goal at the weekend.

He joins Aymeric Laporte and Sabin Merino on the sidelines and is expected to be replaced in the starting XI by Markel Susaeta.

Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Soria; Coke, Rami, Kolodziejczak, Escudero; N'Zonzi, Krychowiak, Vitolo, Iborra, Konoplyanka; Gameiro

Athletic Bilbao possible starting lineup:
Herrerin; De Marcos, Boveda, Etxeita, Balenziaga; San Jose, Benat, Susaeta, Eraso, Muniain; Aduriz

Head To Head

These two sides had never met in European competition before last week's first leg, with their previous 158 encounters all coming domestically.

Sevilla edge the overall record with 65 wins to Athletic's 63, although it is the Basque outfit who are ahead in cup meetings, with eight wins and five defeats from their 15 games.

Sevilla won the league meeting between the two sides earlier this season as Kevin Gameiro scored twice to give his side a 2-0 victory on home soil, with the return fixture taking place on the final day of the season.

We say: Sevilla 2-1 Athletic Bilbao

Sevilla look unstoppable in this competition at the moment, and their home record this season cannot be ignored. Athletic have the ability to ask questions of their hosts with an away goal, but we are backing the four-time champions to make it through to yet another semi.