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Spanish Inquisition: How Will Sevilla Approach Their Champions League Playoff Clash Against Braga?
Goal.com's Subhankar Mondal believes that the Blanquirrojos should be optimistic but not complacent...
| Bet: | Returns: | Braga £17.50 | Draw £34.00 | Beşiktaş £42.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Braga £17.30 | Draw £33.00 | Beşiktaş £42.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Braga £18.00 | Draw £33.00 | Beşiktaş £40.00 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Braga £17.00 | Draw £35.00 | Beşiktaş £52.50 |
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| Bet: | Returns: | Braga £17.60 | Draw £33.00 | Beşiktaş £43.00 |
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Aug 17, 2010 12:20:00 PM
By Subhankar Mondal
He can score with his right foot and with his left as well as with his head. He can score from outside the opposition's penalty box or from two yards with a tap-in. He can play in a two-striker system or as the sole hitman upfront and still find the goals.
He is considered by many of his club supporters to be the best foreign player ever and resurrected his career after a poor spell at a Premier League club. He is a goal machine often criminally underrated.
Frederic Kanoute has bailed out Sevilla on numerous occasions in his five-year career with the Andalucian side and on Saturday night he did it once again. The Blanquirrojos were drawing 1-1 with mighty Barcelona in the first-leg of their Spanish Super Cup at the Sanchez Pizjuan and on came the Tottenham Hotspur flop in the 64th minute and scored twice in the space of ten minutes, first with a close-range effort and then with a header.
It eventually ended 3-1 to Sevilla, who had accomplished a sensational comeback after going 1-0 down in the first-half; a perfect build-up to what is arguably a more important game in midweek.
Not that Sevilla need any 'external' or 'forced' inspiration against Braga in the first-leg of their Champions League playoff match on Wednesday evening: a place among the top 32 clubs in Europe is reason enough to be inspired and motivated.
Furthermore, Braga are virgins as far as European Cup qualification is concerned, having never qualified for the Champions League, and since the first-leg is in Portugal, Los Nervionenses will have the advantage - but Antonio Alvarez's men may well learn some lessons from their performance on Saturday night.
Barca were without Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and David Villa in their starting lineup but still scored the opener and created more opportunities than Sevilla in the first 45 minutes. The Andalucians were outplayed and although they were not exactly dominated by the Barca youngsters, the Blanquirrojos deservedly trailed the first half 1-0.
The second period, though, was a different matter altogether. Luis Fabiano equalised on 61 minutes and then on came Kanoute and struck twice. The second 45 minutes was a typical, vivid Sevilla performance - tremendous play down the wings with Diego Perotti, Jesus Navas and last season's flop Alvaro Negredo all crafting their sorcery in that area. The Barca youngsters, whose enthusiasm had shaded their opponents in the first-half, were rolled over by a more urgent and speedy Sevilla in the second period.
The two-striker system paid dividends for Sevilla against Barcelona but in an away match in Europe it is not very common to field two hitmen upfront: a five-man midfield with two wingers is probably what Alvarez will go with against Braga on Wednesday night. Which isn't necessarily a bad idea given that Kanoute is observing Ramadan and his presence on the bench will theoretically allow Alvarez to have options in case of emergency.
Sevilla should be the favourites for this tie, but this is an Iberian derby and as cliches go, in derbies anything can happen. Anything.
He is considered by many of his club supporters to be the best foreign player ever and resurrected his career after a poor spell at a Premier League club. He is a goal machine often criminally underrated.
Frederic Kanoute has bailed out Sevilla on numerous occasions in his five-year career with the Andalucian side and on Saturday night he did it once again. The Blanquirrojos were drawing 1-1 with mighty Barcelona in the first-leg of their Spanish Super Cup at the Sanchez Pizjuan and on came the Tottenham Hotspur flop in the 64th minute and scored twice in the space of ten minutes, first with a close-range effort and then with a header.
It eventually ended 3-1 to Sevilla, who had accomplished a sensational comeback after going 1-0 down in the first-half; a perfect build-up to what is arguably a more important game in midweek.
Not that Sevilla need any 'external' or 'forced' inspiration against Braga in the first-leg of their Champions League playoff match on Wednesday evening: a place among the top 32 clubs in Europe is reason enough to be inspired and motivated.
Furthermore, Braga are virgins as far as European Cup qualification is concerned, having never qualified for the Champions League, and since the first-leg is in Portugal, Los Nervionenses will have the advantage - but Antonio Alvarez's men may well learn some lessons from their performance on Saturday night.
Barca were without Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi and David Villa in their starting lineup but still scored the opener and created more opportunities than Sevilla in the first 45 minutes. The Andalucians were outplayed and although they were not exactly dominated by the Barca youngsters, the Blanquirrojos deservedly trailed the first half 1-0.
The second period, though, was a different matter altogether. Luis Fabiano equalised on 61 minutes and then on came Kanoute and struck twice. The second 45 minutes was a typical, vivid Sevilla performance - tremendous play down the wings with Diego Perotti, Jesus Navas and last season's flop Alvaro Negredo all crafting their sorcery in that area. The Barca youngsters, whose enthusiasm had shaded their opponents in the first-half, were rolled over by a more urgent and speedy Sevilla in the second period.
The two-striker system paid dividends for Sevilla against Barcelona but in an away match in Europe it is not very common to field two hitmen upfront: a five-man midfield with two wingers is probably what Alvarez will go with against Braga on Wednesday night. Which isn't necessarily a bad idea given that Kanoute is observing Ramadan and his presence on the bench will theoretically allow Alvarez to have options in case of emergency.
Sevilla should be the favourites for this tie, but this is an Iberian derby and as cliches go, in derbies anything can happen. Anything.
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