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Tag: Sevilla

  • Bayern beats Sevilla to reach CL semi-finals

    Bayern Munich have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League after playing out a goalless draw with Sevilla in their quarter-final second leg to progress 2-1 on aggregate.

    The hosts began brightly as James Rodriguez, Arjen Robben and Robert Lewandowski all weighing in with early efforts, the latter heading on target and forcing a save from David Soria.

    Sevilla’s opening contributions to the game were two bookings within the first 11 minutes, before Pablo Sarabia rifled an effort high over Sven Ulreich’s crossbar.

    Both sides traded blows throughout the first half, with Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich and Mats Hummels and Sevilla’s Sergio Escudero all coming especially close, but neither could open the scoring by the break.

    After the restart, Jupp Heynckes’s charges stepped up their search for a goal which would give them an extra cushion, Lewandowski rustling the side netting  with a 49th-minute header.

    Thomas Muller then forced a save from Soria on 54 minutes, while at the other end, Joaquin Correa headed against the woodwork and Ever Banega fired just wide of the post from 25 yards on the hour.

    Bayern grew more and more frustrated as the game went on, Robben spurning a number of opportunities in the second half.

    Sevilla, however, could not capitalise on their opponents’ wastefulness as the Bundesliga giants booked their place in the semi-finals of the competition.

  • Kondogbia ready for emotional Sevilla return

    Kondogbia ready for emotional Sevilla return

    Valencia midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia says he will “try to put his emotions to one side” as he returns to his old club Sevilla for Saturday afternoon’s LaLiga clash.

    After joining Sevilla in 2012 as a 19 year old from RC Lens, Kondogbia had an outstanding first season in La Liga, impressing observers everywhere with his skill in possession and physical gifts.

    After moving through Monaco and Inter Milan before joining Valencia last summer, the France international says visiting the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan as an opposition player will be “special” personally and a tough test for his team.

    “It’s not easy, obviously,” Kondogbia said. “I’m going to try to put my emotions to one side, and give my all for my current club. It will certainly be special for me. In footballing terms, it will be very tough because everyone knows how strong Sevilla are at home, but I hope we can get the win. That’s what we’ll be aiming for.”

    Kondogbia said he was treated very well in the Andalusian capital, and made friends during his 12 month stay.

    “I look back on that period very fondly,” he says. “I was only young and it was my first experience in a top European league. I’m very grateful to the club. I had a really good time there, was treated very kindly. I made friends both within football and outside the game.”

    The now 25 year old has been outstanding for Valencia this season, and Los Che have taken 13 points from their last five LaLiga games to keep a secure hold on fourth position.

    “The team is in really good shape,” he says. “We’re on a fine run: we got an important draw in Bilbao, we’d won the game before that [against Real Sociedad] and have now just beaten Real Betis. We’re feeling good and have built up momentum and confidence.”

    Sevilla are currently eight points back, in fifth spot, having won four of their last five La Liga fixtures.

    “They’re a very dangerous team and one of the best in Spain,” Kondogbia says. “They are still in the race for Champions League qualification, and there’s a reason for that. We know they can be extremely dangerous, even more so on home turf. So we must prepare as well as possible.”

    With Valencia coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, and Sevilla’s Argentina midfielder Ever Banega, also facing their former sides, Saturday’s game should provide excitement for LaLiga fans everywhere.

    “It’s only natural that a clash between two of the league’s top clubs, direct rivals, serves up an enthralling spectacle,” says Kondogbia, born in the French town of Nemours to parents from the Central African Republic. “These matches are always great to play in and to watch. It’s definitely one of the biggest games in the division. LaLiga is one of the best leagues in the world; I hope I can keep performing to a high level here for as long as possible.”

     

  • Barcelona face team dilemma in visit to tiny Eibar

    Barcelona face team dilemma in visit to tiny Eibar

    FC Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde faces a dilemma before his side’s potentially tricky trip to in-form Eibar on Saturday, having watched his side’s seemingly unassailable La Liga lead grow smaller.

    The lead has been cut to seven points from 11 in the last two weeks.

    The advantage would normally give the coach room to rotate his squad in order to keep his side fresh for the visit to Chelsea in the Champions League three days later.

    But tiny Eibar’s consistency means such a move risks his side falling closer to second-placed Atletico Madrid.

    Eibar hail from a town of 27,000 inhabitants in the Basque region and are the smallest team in the top flight.

    Five years ago they were in the 80-team regional third tier.

    They have overcome a rocky start to the season to grow into genuine contenders for a European spot, rising to seventh place in the standings by losing only one of their last 12 games.

    That run has included impressive 5-0 and 5-1 thrashings of Real Betis and Sevilla respectively, as well as victory over high-flying Valencia.

    They have also developed a knack for edging tight games, snatching a 1-0 win at Leganes in their last outing with an injury-time goal.

    It is a remarkable turnaround from their dismal form at the start of the season when they lost seven of their first 11 games.

    Read Also:Barcelona bids Mascherano emotional farewell

    However, Coach Jose Luis Mendilibar said his side had barely altered their style, which is based on pressing high, no-nonsense defending and frequent crosses into the opposing box.

    “We’ve changed nothing, we don’t care which team we play, we’ll keep doing what we believe we do well,” the coach said.

    “It’s easy for any analyst to see what we do in every game; we change hardly anything so it should be easy to play against us. It’s extraordinary to be in this position at this stage as no-one would have expected that when the season started.”

    Barca have found it easy to play against Eibar, winning all seven of their games since the side were promoted and thrashing them 6-1 at the Nou Camp last September.

    Lionel Messi seems to enjoy playing them too, having scored 12 goals in six meetings, including four in the last fixture.

    The Catalans remain the only unbeaten team in Europe’s top five leagues but head to the tiny, 7,000-capacity Ipurua stadium following unconvincing draws against Espanyol and Getafe.

    They will be boosted by the return of first-choice centre-backs Gerard Pique and Samuel Umtiti, however.

    Atletico Madrid have won their last three league games and will be looking to keep the pressure on Barca when they host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, while champions Real Madrid visit Real Betis.

    NAN

  • West Ham ready to dole out €30million for embattled N´Zonzi

    West Ham ready to dole out €30million for embattled N´Zonzi

     

    West Ham manager David Moyes is tinkering with the idea of dolling out €30million have Sevilla midfielder Steven N’Zonzi.

    N’Zonzi has endured a difficult time in Spain so far this season, struggling to reach the high standards he set last term and reportedly falling out with former head coach Eduardo Berizzo.

    The 29-year-old was apparently singled out for criticism at half-time of Sevilla’s 3-3 Champions League draw with Liverpool, getting substituted as a result and then leaving the stadium before his team rallied from three goals down.

    A trip to London soon after sparked reports of talks with Arsenal and, although those stories went quiet, N’Zonzi has not featured for Sevilla since and is still thought to be angling for a move regardless of Berizzo’s dismissal, with his child living in the English capital.

    With Sevilla yet to name a new coach, following the sacking of Berizzo few days he survived prostrate surgery. It remains to be seen if N’Zonzi will be allowed to leave, however, reports have suggested that the club are willing to listen to offers of around €30million – €10m short of his release clause – and Moyes was not shy about confirming his interest.

    “I think he’s somebody who would be of interest to us if he came on the market,” Moyes told reporters.

    “I wouldn’t say that about others, but he’s not playing for some reason at Sevilla – albeit the manager’s gone, so maybe that changes the situation there. Overall, it’s not something I can say I’ve done anything with.

    “I speak [to West Ham’s owners] quite regularly. We’d like to add to the squad if we can and, in the position in the table that we are, we’ll need to.

    “But finding the right players and looking for them is a bit different. Sometimes the ones you might want are not available at this time.

    “When I say we know who the targets are, I think the club knows who we want to go for and what we’d like to do.

    “I think what changes, is if you go for your target and you can’t get him, what do you do? You’ll have to look for another target. Hopefully we’ll have two or three in consideration.

  • Berizzo to undergo prostate surgery Tuesday

    Berizzo to undergo prostate surgery Tuesday

     

    Sevilla head coach Eduardo Berizzo will undergo surgery on Tuesday after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, the LaLiga club have confirmed.

    Berizzo’s assistant Ernesto Marcucci, who also worked as his number two at Celta Vigo, will take charge of the first team in his absence.

    In a statement, Sevilla said: “The return of the Argentine coach to Sevilla FC bench will depend both on the operation and on the evolution of the post-surgery .

    “Sevilla FC is confident that this return will be as soon as possible.”

    Eduardo Berizzo is to undergo surgery this Tuesday

    His return to the dugout will depend on post-operative development. Ernesto Marcucci will take charge of the First Team in his absence

    News of Berizzo’s illness came to light in the aftermath of Sevilla’s Champions League match against Liverpool last week, where Wissam Ben Yedder’s brace and a stoppage-time goal from Guido Pizarro secured a 3-3 draw from 3-0 down.

    A similarly stunning comeback followed on Sunday, with Villarreal two goals to the good before Clement Lenglet, Franco Vazquez and Ever Banega sealed a 3-2 triumph that leaves Sevilla fifth in LaLiga.

    Marcucci’s first game in charge will be against Cartagena in the fourth round of the Copa del Rey on Wednesday, with his side holding a 3-0 advantage from last month’s first leg.

    In 2012, Berizzo was appointed head coach at O’Higgins FC, and achieved runner-up honours in his debut season, losing the final against Club Universidad de Chile in a penalty shootout. On 10 December 2013 he led the team to the 2013 Apertura, this being the first title in the club’s 58-year history.

    On 19 May 2014, shortly after winning the Supercopa de Chile against Deportes Iquique, again on penalties, Berizzo returned to Celta but as a manager, replacing FC Barcelona-bound Luis Enrique. In his third year, he coached them to the last-four stage in both the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Europa League.

    On 27 May 2017, Berizzo was confirmed as the new manager of Sevilla FC, replacing countryman Jorge Sampaoli who accepted the Argentina job.On 22 November, the club announced he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

  • Sevilla boss Berizzo diagnosed with prostate cancer

    Sevilla boss Berizzo diagnosed with prostate cancer

     

    Sevilla coach Eduardo Berizzo has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, the club have confirmed.

    The 48-year-old oversaw the LaLiga side’s remarkable comeback against Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.

    Sevilla were 3-0 down at the break, but a double from Wissam Ben Yedder and an injury-time goal from Guido Pizarro secured an enthralling point, with reports suggesting Berizzo told his players of his diagnosis at half-time.

    Following the first goal, Sevilla players sprinted to celebrate with Berizzo, but no statement was made by the head coach after the game.

    However, Sevilla announced on Wednesday that he will receive treatment for the illness.

    “The medical services of Sevilla FC report that the coach of the first team, Eduardo Berizzo, has been diagnosed with prostate cancer,” a club statement read.

    “Future examinations will decide what steps to follow regarding the treatment.

    “Sevilla FC wants to show their maximum support to their coach at this time and wishes him a speedy recovery.”

    Sevilla are fifth in LaLiga with 22 points from 12 matches, while they are second in Champions League Group E with one match to play in the pool stages.

    Paris Saint-Germain boss Unai Emery, who won the Europa League three times with Sevilla, was among those to tweet his support for the Argentine, offering “much encouragement to you and your family”.

     

     

     

     

  • Sevilla has no interest in Eze

    Sevilla has no interest in Eze

    Charismatic Sevilla sporting director, Ramon Rodriguez Verdejo (Monchi), has dismissed reports in the media linking the Europa League winners with a move for Mladost Lucani striker Friday Eze in the summer transfer market.

    Friday Eze’s name did not ring a bell before the start of last season but his situation has changed, having emerged top scorer of the Serbian championship with modest Mladost Lucani.

    The 22-year-old might be attracting interest from the likes of Hapoel Beer Sheva and Nantes but Sevilla is definitely not among his suitors.

    Sevilla sporting director, Monchi is a man of few words and he went straight to the point telling allnigeriasoccer.com: “We don’t have any interest (in Friday Eze).”

    Eze scored 8 goals in the last 10 matches in the Serbian Superliga, and ended the season with 15 goals.