Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon (right) arrives for a training session at the Juventus Training Center in Vinovo near Turin, yesterday.  (AFP)


DPA /Berlin


Benfica, Basel and Juventus appear to have one foot in the Europa League semi-finals while the tie between Sevilla v Porto is still wide open.
The Swiss Basel take a 3-0 lead into today’s quarter-final return leg at Spain’s Valencia as they aim to make the last four a second straight year.
That’s what the 2013 runners-up Benfica also have in mind, hosting Alkmaar after winning the first date in the Netherlands 1-0.
Designated Serie A champions Juve are 1-0 up as well going into their home leg with French side Lyon, as they aim to take another step towards reaching the May 14 final in their home stadium.
In the fourth tie, Porto edged Sevilla 1-0 for only a light advantage ahead of their trip from northern Portugal to southern Spain.
Spanish clubs have won five of the last 10 editions of the competition, formerly UEFA Cup, including Sevilla’s 2006 and 2007 double, and Valencia’s success in 2004.
Valencia have not given up hope of producing a miracle against Basel which would also salvage their season which has been below-par in La Liga.
“Valencia are well known in Europa for their comebacks, and we are convinced that we can turn this tie around,” midfielder Dani Parejo.  “As long as we do not concede a goal, we have a chance.”
Basel, who went out in the final four against later champions Chelsea last year but beat them twice in the Champions League group stage this time around, know that they can’t be complacent.
“It is a great advantage we’re taking with us into the return leg, we scored three goals and didn’t concede. We can travel there with a good feeling, but we know it will be difficult ... They will surely give their best in front of their crowd,” defender Fabian Schaer said.
Sevilla, meanwhile, are confident they can overturn the 1-0 deficit Thursday against Porto, given their league form with seven wins in the last eight games.
“The important thing is to believe in ourselves and to carry on working as we have been doing recently,” in-form striker Carlos Bacca said. “We know it will be difficult but I really think we can do it.”
Porto won the competition in 2003 and 2011, and the Champions League again in 2004, while Benfica’s European silverware lies in the distant past from a 1961 and 1962 Champions Cup double.
They have lost seven European finals since, including last year against Chelsea, but ppear at least set for the last four a fifth straight time after their away win at Alkmaar.
“We are well aware that the tie isn’t over yet ... It’s not an extremely comfortable lead. We’ll have to be at our best at home to go through,” defender Nicolas Gaitan said.
The Europa League trophy will arrive in Turin next week for the final, and Juve are ready to move within three games of lifting it on May 14 in the stadium where they have won all 16 league matches and are unbeaten in all competitions, a streak they want to continue against Lyon.
“We are in for another battle,” defender Leonardo Bonucci said. “The game with Lyon is the first of four (European) finals. At the Juventus Stadium I only know one result: winning.”
Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon warned: “We must be careful because Lyon are a very experienced team, with a decade-long European experience.”


Conte focused on the ‘prestigious’ semi spot

Juventus coach Antonio Conte said all thoughts of a third consecutive Serie A title will be sidelined as his side focus on the “prestigious” feat of becoming Italy’s first Europa League semi-finalists in six years.
Juventus are eight points ahead of Roma in the Serie A title race with six games remaining.
But a day ahead of hosting Lyon, beaten 1-0 in France last week, the Italian said Juve’s focus was entirely on becoming Italy’s first side in the semi-finals since Fiorentina in 2008.
“We’re here to talk about the Europa League quarter-final return leg and as far as I’m concerned, the league doesn’t exist today,” said Conte.
“It would be prestigious for Juventus to reach the semis, it’s been (six) years since an Italian team got to that stage.”
The demands of both Serie A and the Europa League have forced Conte to rotate his squad in what is expected to be another title-winning season.