Sevilla Comes To Town

By: Corey | March 27th, 2008

This Sunday, at 4pm eastern time, Sevilla will be visit the Bernabeu in a important match for both teams end of season prospects. Sevilla is making a hard push for atleast a UEFA cup place after a shaky start to the campaign under Juande Ramos. Under Manolo Jimenez they have looked like a much better side, and although a little inconsistent (not that Real isnt either), they have the quality to stay in the top 6. Probably at the expense of Espanyol, although Santander could always fall away too.

Real comes into the match on the back of a run of 5 defeats in 8 league games, hardly La Liga title winning form. Bernadine Schuster has been questioned about his position at the club, coaching style and how he makes his mustache so stiff in the morning by the press for the past few weeks, so he is looking for a resounding win to ease the pressure. My money is on him staying next year, I dont think he has done all that bad, but some want his head already. There has as usual, been talk of a supposive crisis in the walls of the Bernabeu, for which this writer is again annoyed about.

Arjen Robben had this to say about the supposive crisis:

‘Yes, it was a big disappointment, but we played well and deserved to win,’ ‘We had a lot of chances and just failed to take them.

‘I don’t think we are in crisis.’

I dont either Arjen, the media is so quick to label a prolonged run of bad form as a crisis. A crisis is if the players are not being paid by the team (Levante), or the coach is axing players left and right (Valencia) or the president of the team has overspent on transfers the past 10 years that the club is up to its eyeballs in debt and cant field a competitive team (Deportivo). The problems of Real Madrid and also Barcelona (the Ronaldinho episodes recently) are almost always over stated, so lets move past this supposive crisis talk.

But this doesnt mean I will let the team off the hook. They have failed to impress me at all in the second half of the season, and even in the first half they were stringing together narrow wins on sub-par perfomances. You cannot be up for every game this is true, but it seems we are easily ruffled by oppossing teams these days. A win is a must here, as even a draw melts our once solid lead on Barca to 2 points. And with the clash at the Bernabeu looming we probably want 1. A 4 point cushion and 2. Some sort of good form going into the game.

We usually step our game up against what I like to call the ‘mid-majors’ (a NCAA basketball term I borrows). The wins against Espanyol, Villarreal and Atletico highlighting my point. But Valencia is hardly a mid-major, and its tough to keep Sevilla in such a category right now because of their European explouts which all of Spain (well not Betis fans) is proud of. But enough with the dilly dallying, we want a win on Sunday.

Real Madrid Team News:

Obviously Ruud and Metzelder are out, and will be for another month atleast. Canna had a rough go of it against Spain, but I do not know if he picked up a knock yet, although it seems likely. The number of international players we send away has been dwindling season by season, and especially with La Furia, its minimal. So tired legs cannot be much of a complaint as even the Argies and Robinho played games on the continent this week.

As far as minor knocks go, all 13 internationals returned back fine. Drenthe and Torres who played for their u-21 teams trained with the group the the 11 full internationals did recovery work in the gym. The group that trained was Dudek, Codina, Míchel Salgado, Towers, Drenthe, Guti, Robben, Balboa, Saviola, Higuaín, Raul and Soldado plus Torres and Drenthe. Friday will see all players training on the pitch. Assuming the only problem we have with the squad right now is exhaustion from intenrationals, here is my proposed lineup:

———-Casillas————–
SR—-Pepe—-Canna—Heinze
—-Guti—Diarra—Gago—–
Robben—–Raul—–Robinho

Hooray, something new! This seems all the more likely with Higuain and Soldado failing to score despite decent performances and Schuster not liking to use Baptista as much as he did the first half of the season. The other likelyhood is a start for Saviola alongside Raul, something I have seen coming after Schuster’s comments on the Rabbit recently. He is giving each striker a chance to prove themself, and Soldado didnt take it and Higuain is half of the way there. So it seems Saviola is up next, but in such a high pressure game it makes more sense to play Robinho with Raul and Robben on the left.

I know I have it as a 4-3-3, because essentially thats what it is, but you will see Robben on the left, Robinho more central or to the right a bit, and Sergio Ramos patrolling the right flank. This will also give Guti a springboard for attacking movement with a double pivot behind him, although sometimes Gago shirks his “water carrying” duties to move further forwad. All in all, a good lineup, but you will all wonder why I leave Sneijder out. The reason is he has been effective as a sub and thats how he should stay for me.

Also, the selection of Canna seems curious given his recent struggles, but Schuster rarely abandons his man, so Heinze will be on the left and not the middle with Pepe. Marcelo would be ripped to shreds by Jesus Navas, then again Heinze probably will be to, so Torres for me would be a better option but it wont happen.

Sevilla Team News:

Although I am sure Ryan can give the best coverage of injuries, suspensions etc. here is my knowledge. Seydou Keita and Freddi K both didnt make it to the Mali vs. France B game this week, Keita with knee problems and Freddie K with an unknown phsyical ailment. Pedro Mosquera is fit after playing with Columbia, and Chevanton (so dangerous) has recovered from his injury but may not be phsysically fit enough for the game. Jesus Navas and Diego Capel are both fit and ready to go, which I never like to see unless they have white jerseys on (hint hint there Pedja, Portugal and Schuster).

Drago has had a small operation in Germany over the break to correct some recurring problems, much like Ruud had, so he is out of the game. And that is probably it on the injury front other then a few long term injuries that I do not know about. Ryan, fill in the rest please.

As for tactics, the reliance on Freddie K and Luisabiano is evident, except they have both stayed healthy and scoring goals. Infact Luisabiano (new nickname for him) is the Pichichi right now and unless Raul keep putting in 2 goal performances and Luis stops scoring cold it will be his. Its a good proving ground for him as the rumors of his move to Real intensify. Also, both Diego Capel and Jesus Navas have an outside chance of making the EURO squad, outside, but this is another oppurtunity to prove one self.

Defensively Sevilla has been weak this year because of the loss of capitan and backline butcher Javi Navarro (althogh the real butcher of Sevile, Pablo Alfaro left awhile ago for Santander). His loss has meant Mosquera has had to partner the usually reliable Julien Escude, while Daniel Alves has blown hot and cold and Drago/Crespo have been interchanged into the lineup often. Hell even Adriano is playing defensively again as well as the idea being put forth of him playing in center midfield.

The midfield impresses me, Seydou Keita is so vastly under rated and it disappoints me. Poulsen is getting attention now, and although he is a dirty player well worth Francesco Totti’s spit, he does his job well. Enzo Maresca, Luis Marti and Renato are solid alternatives in the center of the pitch. Sevilla are not hurting in midfield, although Enzo Maresca’s Zidane-esc head butt means he is out on suspension.

Jesus Navas and Diego Capel are two young Spaniards with a bright future. Both are fast, skilled and frequently fouled, Capel the most in La Liga I believe. I would take either player in the summer if offered, such is my fanatic obsession with the two. Along with Silva and a D2 player from Tenerife, Iriome, very promising young wingers.

Of course Adriano can play on the left wing, and Tom de Mul on the right. Both have not had steady runs in the team but both are good players. At extreme cases Chevanton and Kone can be deployed wide.

They will bite hard in defense and Poulsen will do battle with Diarra. And they will conter fast up the wings and look dangerous on crosses. We have a very good opponent on our hands, I would say 4th best in La Liga even thoug they are in 6th.

My expected lineup for Sevilla is:

—————Palop—————
Alves—Escude–Mosquera—Fazio/Crespo?
Navas—-Keita—-Poulsen—-Capel
———Fabiano—Kanoute——–

That left back spot remains a mystery, with Drago out. Maybe David or even Boulahrouz? I just dont know, but the rest of the team is pretty certain as long as the two Malians can recover from their knocks. If not, look for Kone and Marti to replace them.

Andres Palop’s pre-match comments:

Andrés Palop is not entrusted in the supposed crisis that is undergoing in the last weeks Real Madrid and noticed that “it is always a dangerous equipment and with much quality”. And it is that the guardameta is conscious that the defeat suffered by the white equipment before the Valencia does not have to make fall in the confidence to the Seville, that Sunday visits Santiago Bernabéu. “Real Madrid I see him like an equipment that always are dangerous and with much quality. You cannot fiarte from one week to another one, because he is able of the best thing and sometimes of the worse thing. The last week did not do started off badly and ended up losing, but it is an equipment to which we have much respect because, although there is lost a little goal with the injury of Go Nistelrooy, goes all the year first.

We know that if we make the things affluent we can stand up to him expensive “, indicated. The Valencian remembered that safe in an occasion, he does not know what is to win in the Bernabéu with Seville. “In his stage he costs to us more to win to him. The only occasion in which we have done it being I here was in Supercopa of Spain and is a reference that is already very far. With the full field, as they are going it to have, they push enough and never I have been able to win there in League “, emphasized. But Palop is optimistic. “If we left winners of there would be an injection of quite important moral, would be thus to win to him to the leader in the Bernabéu, after listening that he is already everything sold.

For us it would be very important, but we know that Real Madrid gambles Liga and that is going to be difficult, although go with the intention to remove all our game “, aimed. Another data to consider for Palop is the motivation of Raul who seems to be at a great moment of form. “This Sunday I am going away to face him and I see in a while him good, because it is marking goals and being important for its equipment. We have always considered to him, but at national level it must to him value the selector “, already commented the cancerbero on the habitual controversy around the absence of ‘ 7′ in the national selection. Palop is conscious that if Seville falls Sunday the objective to enter Liga de Campeones “is going away to put very difficult in case the Athletic one wins in Vilarreal”. But that does not mean that it gives by lost that aspiration because it sees the placed “affluent” equipment and is left “time to obtain it”.

“It is certain that, in key appointments, we have lost, but the Valencia was also key and we gained it. The equipment is prepared amply to obtain to that objective of Liga de Campeones, but it is difficult, because there are important equipment also fighting for that reason. If Sunday we won, we will be again to two points, if the Athletic one loses in Villarreal, that can be “, it insisted. Therefore, it assumes that the shock before Real Madrid “has much importance” for Seville. “If we are not able to remove something positive and the Athletic one has made a good result, the things will be put very difficult”, added.

Bernadine did an interview with Marca today:

Bernd Schuster, discussed trainer of Real Madrid, took care of Juan Manuel Gozalo in the ‘ Futboleríá of ‘ Direct Marcá. In an extensive one it interviews the German technician it showed his more amiable side, and answered without tapujos nor average inks all the questions that considered to him. The German technician, in mouth of all by the bad results harvested by the white equipment the last weeks and by the loss of confidence of the white director, said of clear form and full that “recently Ramon Calderón said to me that although we do not win Liga I will follow in Real Madrid, because this is a project and we are making an equipment. He lacks the second part to do the east equipment summer… and I am convinced that we will do it with the title of League. I have the total confidence of my president and I do not need more “.

The relations with his ‘ jefes’ “I take with Miguel Portugal Angel fantastically well… what ask to him him? I have a very good relation from the first day with my president, Mijatovic and Portugal. But I understand I play of the critics… and she does not worry to me too much. In Real Madrid the good thing is to read and to listen to little “, clarified on the relations with his ‘ jefes’. It recognizes that it can be mistaken “I am very well, because I have the very clear things. Although I recognize that as much I eat my players we can be mistaken. Sunday we were mistaken in two or three things and we paid it expensive “, recognized Schuster in Radio MARK. It affirms that it is not difficult for its players “I am not difficult for anybody, the players can always speak with me and I tell everything them.

It is certain that for the outside I am a little more closed. All this is inventions that appear when the things come bad. Only because we lose one or two parties the line is never lost, although yes it is necessary to improve “, clarified on his supposed inaccesibilidad to his players. “No player of my equipment has doubts on me”, sentenced. He knows very clearly Real Madrid 2008-2009 “I know very clearly the equipment that I have and in which we must improve”, explained the German on the future draftees of Real Madrid.

Roberto Soldado has an interview on Onda Cero Tuesday and here is what he had to say:

The forward of Real Madrid admitted that Schuster does not speak much with them. “usually he does not say anything, we spoke more with Manolo Ruiz to us (second trainer)“, commented the player. Soldier can leave the equipment at the end of at sight season of the few minutes which he has enjoyed this season to the orders of the German.

The own soccer player admits this possibility. “it is not necessary to be very intelligent to know what is going to happen with me”. On the other hand, the forward continues seeing enabled Madrid to hold in Liga. “It is necessary to have calm because already the Barça to two points was put and we knew to react with tranquillity”.

Schuster doesnt speak to the team much…? Why do I get the feeling he isnt as well liked as everyone says he is. Not speaking to your players much? Well maybe not to Soldado cause he clearly doesnt fancy him as a player, but the squad in general, I dont like that to much. Well anyway, no training pictures on the Real website, because in true Real fashion, if the football team does poor coverage dries up and basketball coverage is all thats on the site. If I find some training pics I will put them up.

As far as a score, I have stopped doing that and we have been loosing, so here it goes. 3-2 to Real, with Raul getting one and Robinho the other two, while Capel and Fabiano net for Sevilla. I forsee a red card in the match as well, no names though, my psychic powers are limited.

Until Sunday, Adios and HALA MADRID!