Sevilla FC, under the management of García Pimienta, arrives at Butarque facing a challenging fixture against CD Leganés, amidst significant injury woes. Key players such as Nyland, Badé, Nianzou, Saúl, Suso, Ejuke, and Idumbo will be absent, which poses a test of depth for the squad.
The first part of the season for Sevilla has resembled a house of cards, frequently collapsing under the waves of various challenges. These include injuries, lack of scoring precision, and catastrophic defensive errors. In their twelve league matches, they have accumulated just fifteen points. A heavy defeat against Barcelona recently slammed them back to reality, clarifying the limits of their capabilities as highlighted by García Pimienta prior to the match against Espanyol.
Last week, Real Sociedad also demonstrated to Sevilla that there are ceilings that will be difficult to breach, especially with the current limitations of the squad caused by injuries, hindering the Barcelona-born coach from fielding a reliable starting eleven to showcase his desired style of play.
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Now, with the medical room still busy, Sevilla prepares for a visit to the CD Leganés in Butarque. The home side has secured victories against both teams within their league tier, suffered losses to Athletic Bilbao and Mallorca, and managed a draw with Valencia.
This upcoming fixture won’t be easy for Sevilla, and García Pimienta has already warned, “If we are not focused and do not match their intensity, we won’t stand a chance. They are a team that, if you do not equal their intensity, will press in a coordinated and aggressive manner. They are capable of outmatching you and are very competitive. We need to be extremely alert for tomorrow’s game. It’s a difficult ground to come away with a win and they have a magnificent coach. If we are not at 100%, we have no options.”
With Nyland unavailable, Álvaro Fernández will take the role of goalkeeper, aiming to prove he deserves to be the first choice for Sevilla. He will be backed by Carmona on the right, Marcao and Kike Salas at the center, and Pedrosa on the left.
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In front of the defense will be Albert Sambi Lokonga, the only player who can provide some creative spark to a team that currently lacks in that department. Nemanja Gudelj is expected to support his fellow midfielder, while Peque could return to the starting line-up alongside them.
If García Pimienta intends to give Valentín Barco a start instead of Pedrosa, Butarque presents the perfect opportunity amid the absences of Ejuke and Idumbo, shifting Dodi Lukebakio to the right flank, where he performs best, and either Isaac Romero or Kelechi Iheanacho in the forward position.
However, neither of the two strikers has found the net in the ongoing season, and despite the coach defending them in press conferences, they need to step up: “I’ve spoken with them just like in previous weeks. The first ones desperate to score are them. I would be worried if they weren’t getting chances or if they weren’t generating, as that would indicate a broader issue with our play. We don’t solely focus on the forwards carrying the responsibility of scoring goals. Every player needs to participate. I observe how they train and their finishing, which gives me confidence; quality is innate. They should forget about the chances they have missed to convert.”
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With 11 points to their name, just two above the relegation zone after another away defeat (4-3 against Girona), Leganés sees this match as an opportunity to climb the standings and distance themselves from the drop zone against Sevilla.
Coached by Borja Jiménez, the team aims to avoid falling into the relegation battle as the international break approaches. To achieve this, they need to secure another home win, having achieved both victories at home since their promotion back to the top flight, the latest coming convincingly against Celta (3-0). Their six goals in the last two matches provide a glimmer of hope as they prepare to face a Sevilla side that continues to struggle defensively and fails to maintain positive momentum. The Leganés squad will be missing midfielder Yvan Neyou due to suspension and forward Dani Raba, who is still nursing injuries.
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