Sevilla prepared to weather Osasuna storm in UEFA semis

MADRID, Apr 25 (Reuters) The hostile reception Sevilla's players are likely to receive in Osasuna's Reyno de Navarra stadium will not intimidate the side as it has done before, the UEFA Cup holders said.

Sevilla play the first leg of their UEFA Cup semi-final in Pamplona tomorrow, having not achieved a league win there since 1993. The Navarrans also knocked Sevilla out of the King's Cup at the quarter-final stage in 2003 and 2005.

''We can't allow the atmosphere to get to us, although we know Osasuna will play a physical game and close us down,'' Sevilla defender Aitor Ocio told a news conference today.

Brazilian fullback Daniel Alves backed Ocio's assessment, saying the experience of last year's and this season's successes stood them in good stead.

The Andalucians are second in the Primera Liga and have also made the King's Cup semi-finals.

''In this stadium they always pressure you and we have choked there more than once. But we are used to these hostile environments now and we are stronger in adversity,'' said Alves.

''We need to go out and play our own game which with us always means attacking and seeking to dominate the match.'' The return legs are on May 3.

REUTERS BJR RK1928