La Liga Preview: Sevilla - Barcelona

Los Rojiblancos sent out a terrific warning shot to Barca in midweek with a stunning victory...

May 7, 2010 1:00:00 PM

By Robin Bairner

More On :  FC Barcelona, Sevilla, Sevilla vs FC Barcelona
Bojan, Barcelona, Aragoneses, Tenerife, (Getty Images)
Kick Off: Saturday, May 8, 2010. 21:00 CET
Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, Sevilla

Been There, Done That

With two games of the Primera Division campaign remaining, Barcelona still have the major hurdle of overcoming Sevilla in Andalusia to overcome if they are to be crowned Spanish champions once again.

Playing los Rojiblancos two months ago, when they were still under the leadership of Manolo Jimenez, may have been a very winnable objective, but under the stewardship of Antonio Alvarez, the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan side have become a very different beast.

Perfect at home since the caretaker boss took over in late March, Sevilla have won five of eight fixtures since that time. Not only are they winning again, Alvarez has them playing in an attractive attacking style, which Jimenez stubbornly refuse to do. Twenty goals have been scored in their last seven fixtures, which is a league-high tally.

Unlike many teams in world football, Sevilla know that they can beat Barcelona. Indeed, it was los Nervionenses who upset la Blaugrana in the Copa del Rey earlier this year, becoming the first club to ever deprive Pep Guardiola’s vintage of silverware. A stunning 2-1 victory was recorded in the first leg in the Catalan capital, rendering the 1-0 reverse eight days later impotent.

Coming off the back of a 5-1 away win against Racing Santander, if Sevilla can continue their good form, they could go a long way to preventing the Camp Nou outfit retaining their league crown.

Unbelievable

With Real Madrid still hotly on their tail going into the midweek encounter against Tenerife, three points were absolutely essential for Barcelona to maintain their lead at the summit of the Primera Division. In a downpour, Pep Guardiola’s side delivered.

Lionel Messi produced a deft finish to put the Catalan giants into the ascendancy, but they received a shock when a goal from Roman Martinez just before the break had the Canary Islanders level. Barca showcased their muscle in front of goal in the second period, with Bojan Krkic, Pedro and Messi again finding the net.

There was no holding back from coach Guardiola, who has promised to treat each match until the end of the season as if it was a cup final. Remarkably, with just a couple of games remaining this season, he is adopting a laidback attitude to the remainder of the campaign.

“Madrid deserves to win the league and we do too, which is why I have, in these eight days, the tranquillity of a job well done,” he explained to the press. “I cannot blame the team, or demand more. How can you ask them to win the league? If they do, great but if not, great also.

“So I said at halftime, ‘Win it if you can and if not, don't worry about it.’

“We have 93 points and even I can't believe it. We will have to go to Sevilla to win to be champions. This is the 17th consecutive game that we’ve played every three or four days. The effort is incredible.”

Such a titanic struggle really deserves to go to the wire, and if that is the case, Guardiola will hope his side are still in pole position going into the last weekend, no matter what he has told the press.



FORM GUIDE

Sevilla

WON 5-1 (a) Racing Santander (Liga, May 5)

WON 3-1 (h) Atletico Madrid (Liga, May 2)

LOST 4-3 (a) Getafe (Liga, April 25)

WON 3-0 (h) Sporting de Gijon (Liga, April 17)

LOST 2-1 (a) Valladolid (Liga, April 13)

Barcelona

WON 4-1 (h) Tenerife (Liga, May 4)

WON 4-1 (a) Villarreal (Liga, May 1)

WON 1-0 (h) Inter (Champions League, April 28)

WON 3-1 (h) Xerez (Liga, April 24)

LOST 3-1 (a) Inter (Champions League, April 20)

TEAM NEWS

Sevilla

There are still headaches for Antonio Alvarez in defence. Cala, Sergio Sanchez, Ivica Dragutinovic and Fernando Navarro are all sidelined through injury problems, leaving the squad threadbare at the back.

In the midfield corps, Diego Perotti continues to miss out, as does Aldo Duscher. Laurato Acosta is the only problem in attack as Luis Fabiano should return from an ankle problem, though he may have a hard time getting immediately back into the first XI given the fine recent form of Alvaro Negredo.

Probable Starting XI: Palop; Konko, Stankevicius, Escude, Adriano; Navas, Renato, Zokora, Capel; Negredo, Kanoute

Barcelona

Gerard Pique is a fresh doubt for Barcelona ahead of the trip to Andalusia after he sustained an injury to his right leg against Tenerife. Barca will do everything to try and ensure the former Manchester United defender, who is rated eight on the Castrol Rankings, is fit for the weekend.

Andres Iniesta is liable to be sidelined again, while Eric Abidal is still struggling with injury. Xavi could be asked to play through the pain barrier once again.

Probable Starting XI: Valdes; Dani Alves, Puyol, Milito, Maxwell; Xavi, Busquets, Keita; Messi, Ibrahimovic, Pedro

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sevilla

Didier Zokora may not be a goal scorer, but he is a valuable part of the Sevilla setup. In the heart of midfield, the hard working Ivorian will have to stifle Barca’s creativity and try to disrupt their central players as much as possible. By no means a match-winner – it is over four years since he scored a goal at club level – he could at least prevent los Rojiblancos from losing.

Barcelona

Lionel Messi continues to amaze. The diminutive Argentine is arguably better known for his terrific dribbling ability than his killer instincts, but don’t be fooled by his innocent looks – the 22-year-old knows as well as anyone how to finish a chance. His first goal in midweek against Tenerife was made to look outrageously easy. A player who can turn a game in an instant, this is the kind of stage on which he is expected to shine.

PREDICTION

Sevilla are widely seen as the late great obstacle that Barcelona will have to overcome if they’re to pick up another Primera Division crown. Saturday’s game represents an opportunity for la Blaugrana to avenge their Copa del Rey defeat, though against opponents who are presently scoring freely they face a big test. This is a game that promises goals, and if Barca negotiate it successfully, they will have one hand on the crown.

Sevilla 2-3 Barcelona

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