Los Nervionenses narrowly avoided the drop last time around, and there are concerns they may not be as lucky in 2025/26.
| Sevilla’s tough season ahead | Odds |
|---|---|
| To be relegated | 6.00 |
| To lose on opening day | 1.68 |
Odds courtesy of 1xBet. Correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
Are Sevilla on the brink of relegation?
This calendar year has been a difficult one for Sevilla. It cost García Pimienta his job, and things weren’t much better under his replacement, Joaquín Caparrós, who saw out the remainder of the season. They’ve won just four of 21 games in 2025, and the 2025/26 campaign saw them stay up by a single point in the end.
Much of their struggle stems from off-field issues, however. They’re unable to register new signings and have the lowest transfer budget in Spanish football as things stand. Their current salary cap is just under €680,000 - more than 3x lower than that of Huesca, the poorest Segunda División club (€2.5 million).
It’s also more than ten times lower than that of Espanyol, the second-to-last club in La Liga in this particular ranking. It puts them at a real disadvantage for the new campaign, but do they have enough to fight off those around them when La Liga returns?
Ten teams are currently seen as more likely to be relegated according to the bookies, with the three promoted clubs top of the list. Real Oviedo, Elche and Levante are all expected to struggle now they’re back in the top-flight. However, Sevilla’s problems, as well as recruitment limitations, mean they’re by no means safe.
Sevilla’s Struggles Mount
The club have had to make sacrifices in order to free up some money. Parting ways with Lucas Ocampos and Gonzalo Montiel certainly helped. Jesus Navas’ retirement and the end of Valentin Barco and Kelechi Iheanacho’s loans also played a part. These moves enabled them to sign Akor Adams and Rubén Vargas, but they’ve only added two free agents this summer - Alfon Gonzalez and Gabriel Suazo.
They are also willing to part with key defender Loic Bade in order to have a better chance in the market. Aston Villa showed interest in him earlier this year. While Dodi Lukebakio is also a valuable asset, neither he nor Bade is desperate to leave.
The aforementioned signings, Gonzalez and Suazo, aren’t able to be registered yet, and on top of that, Tanguy Nianzou and Joan Jordán have picked up injuries. It’s a pretty dire space that seven-time Europa League winners find themselves in.
According to reports in Spain, Almeyda will go into their opening game against Athletic Bilbao with just 14 or 15 first-team players to pick from. It’s obviously an immediate problem for them to deal with, but it’s likely that their issues will drag on. It could be a very long season for Sevillistas.
On the upside, they still have some quality in their squad. Bade and Lukebakio staying won’t help them financially, but they’re good players. The same goes for Juanlu, who may or may not be Serie A-bound this summer.
Looking at the squad on paper, Sevila are in a better spot than others - especially the promoted trio. Yet, that could change quickly, and if they’re not careful, they could easily get sucked into the mix. As things stand, they should be able to avoid the drop, even if they hover quite close to it, but it is a real danger.