Champions League: Sevilla, to avoid embarrassment against City | Sports

We were wrong. We are in a relegation position and we have to rectify ”. The words of José Castro, president of Sevilla, upon the arrival of the team in Manchester, where they will face City (21:00, Movistar LC), confirm the serious situation that the Andalusian team is going through. Up to two weeks, the same leader described as “anecdote” that Sevilla hovered around relegation places in the league. Having diluted the effect of Jorge Sampaoli on the bench, Sevilla are already preparing a small revolution in pink to take advantage of the winter transfer market. “We will work to improve the team from November 14,” confessed the president. It will be a vital period, in which Monchi, the sporting director, will have to significantly improve the discreet programming of the summer.

In relegation places after Getafe’s triumph against Elche and with the derby on the horizon next Sunday against Betis, Sevilla will face a procedure at home of one of the best teams in the world, City, Premier champion and group leader. Sevilla are third and will play the Europa League. In Manchester, against the team with the most ball possession in the competition (65%) and the team that has conceded the fewest goals (one), they will try to equalize at least to reach six points and avoid what would be their worst number of points, five, in a Champions League group stage. In 2015 and 2021 he was eliminated in the first phase, accumulating at least six points. Far behind the 15 points achieved in 2007 and 13 in 2009 and 2021.

The return of En-Nesyri, who has scored two of Sevilla’s four goals in this Champions League, and the presence of the youth player Carlos Álvarez, much appreciated by the coach, are the sporting news of this Sevilla, which at least has no faces Haaland, injured. A team that constitutes an anomaly as it is the only one to compete in the competition in relegation positions in its national championship. Leverkusen, led by Xabi Alonso, are in relegation promotion positions and also play in the Champions League.

“I think of both sides. We have planned in two parallel matches, within the squad, to put the players to have a good match and strengthen our ideas for the next match, ”said Jorge Sampaoli in a press conference before the match. Sevilla will play the derby next Sunday in relegation places and 13 points from Betis, fourth classified. “Manchester City are the best team in the world,” said the Andalusian team’s Argentine coach.

You can follow EL PAÍS Sports in Facebook y Twitterthe apuntarte here to receive our weekly newsletter.