La Liga Review

Valencia - Sevilla Preview

Liga Match Preview & Team News

Ninth placed Valencia host Sixth placed Sevilla at the Mestalla on Saturday in a match that typifies the idea that there are no grey areas in Spanish football: according to the Spanish press anyway. Turning every drama in to a crisis while heralding every win as the dawn of a golden age is all part of life in La Liga, just ask the fans of these two clubs…

Real Madrid Eye Fabiano

Spanish Football Transfer Rumours

According to reports in the Spanish press, Sevilla's Luis Fabiano is a transfer target for Real Madrid. The Brazilian international forward is enjoying a tremendous season and the Manchester City and Tottenham target is currently La Liga's leading goal scorer - or Pichichi as it is known in Spain…

Heartbreak for Sevilla

Champions League Result: Sevilla 3 Fenerbahce 2 (Away side win on penalties)

A carnival atmosphere in Seville could not prevent the home side from crashing out on penalties after Fenerbahce grabbed the two vital away goals that would force this first knockout round tie to go the distance.

Sevilla - Fenerbahce Preview

Match Preview and Team News

Sevilla FC coach Manuel Jiménez claims that intelligence is what his side need most if they are to fight back from 3-2 down to beat Fenerbahçe in tonight’s UEFA Champions League first knockout round decider.

Deportivo - Sevilla Preview

La Liga Match Previews and Team News

In spite of the significant gap in league positions between the two sides, Sevilla's trip to the Riazor does not present them with the chance of an easy away win over lowly Deportivo....

Saturday Previews

La Liga Previews : Saturday's Spanish football fixtures

20:00 Valencia - Recreativo
22:00 Sevilla - Zaragoza

A look ahead to both of Saturdays La Liga matches as a resurgent Valencia look to grab a European spot at the expense of struggling Recreativo, and Sevilla hope to build upon their excellent home record against terrible travellers Zaragoza...

Frosty Reception Awaits Sevilla in Fenerbahce

Sevilla v Fenerbahce: Champions League Preview

Sevilla make their debut in the UEFA Champions League knockout round for the first time in their history this evening and it is going to take a lot more than the layer of snow that covers the Fenerbahce pitch to cool the atmosphere in what promises to be a thrilling encounter.

Sevilla v Barcelona Preview

Sevilla v Barcelona stands out as the most eye-catching game of the weekend, not least because the stakes appear so high for both sides and neither team can afford to be content with a draw. The visitors, Barcelona, must travel to the Sanchez Pizjuan looking for a win if they are to maintain the pressure on league leaders Real Madrid and will be eager to close the gap to just three points, for 24 hours at least.

Juande at a time

Juande Ramos gave a lengthy interview to Spanish daily AS on Sunday and it looks like he's enjoying greater freedom to coach his side than he was at Sevilla. Reading between the lines it seems that Ramos always yearned for a more of a say in the sporting decisions made at his former club.

Ramos says that Spurs are lacking in confidence, that defence is a key area for reinforcement and that the priority must be for survival this season.

Ramos says that his side is in “an uncomfortable situation” and that the biggest problem facing the team is that they are “lacking in confidence”. He concedes that he finds it hard to explain why a team that was competing for a Champions league position over the last couple of seasons has suffered such a dip in form, and says “It’s the reality in which we find ourselves and we must work hard to change it”.

Sevilla through to final

Sevilla have confirmed their place in the Copa del Rey final after seeing off Deportivo La Coruna at the Sanchez Pizjuan in the semi final second leg last night.

Sevilla finished up 5-0 aggregate winners, building upon the 3-0 lead carried over from the first meeting, courtesy of goals from Sergio Duda and Ernesto Chevanton. The contest was as good as over when Portuguese midfielder Duda sent a 25 yard free kick sailing past a static Munua, in goal for Depor, after just three minutes.

Chevanton completed the job with a strike just after the half hour mark that rounded off an impressive passage of play for the Andalucians. Deportivo failed to respond and the 2002 cup winners finished the tie unable to score in either leg.

Juande Ramos, who was able to rest some of his key players, now looks forward to an exciting end to the 2006-7 campaign, with his side still in the hunt for three major trophies. Sevilla are now set to play in two finals - the UEFA cup and the Copa Del Rey - whilst still mathematically being in contention for La Liga.

Ramos said after the match “At 1-0 Deportivo threw in the towel and the tie was as good as over. The most important thing was that we didn’t have to over exert ourselves ahead of the final five remaining league fixtures”

The Sevilla coach is convinced his side will face Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey final. The Catalans head to Getafe's Coliseum Alfonso Perez stadium this evening, with the visitors seemingly comfortable holding a 5-2 lead from the first leg.

Deportivo Sevilla preview

Depor will be hoping to stake a claim on a place in the Copa Del Rey final when they face Sevilla at home tonight in the first leg of the semi finals.

The Galicians will need to make good use of their home advantage given that they face one of the strongest sides in La Liga who have been boosted by the return of top goalscorer Freddie Kanoute. The Malian forward has recovered from the injury he picked up in the UEFA cup win against Tottenham. Unsurprisingly, the Andalucian side are the bookmakers favourites to reach the final.

Omens are good for Sevilla

Its feels like an age since the name Fc Barcelona did not sit at the top of the Spanish league table. However, following Sevilla’s 2-0 victory over Osasuna on Sunday, it is the Andalucians, rather than the Catalans who lead the Primera Liga after nine matches. The omens are very good for Sevilla. The last time they were top of the table after nine games, in 1946, they also went on to claim the title.
Freddie Kanoute scored the first goal for Juande Ramos’ side on sunday after converting a penalty, five minutes into the second half and the win was sealed with a goal from Correia late on.

Fellow title challengers Valencia were held to a1-1 daw by Espanyol in Barcelona. Espanyol took a surprise lead but could not hold on and finally succumbed to goal from David Silva. Valencia were hit by another injury, this time to Morretti who faces three months on the sidelines. Valencia keeper Butelle reckons “I’m sick of seeing my team mates getting injured. At the rate we’re going we will be lucky to finish the season with two fit players”; a slight exaggeration but whatever happens they probably have more than Atletico.

Elsewhere the collective sigh of relief around the Camp nou was clearly audible as Celta Vigo pinched all three points from Real Madrid at the Bernabeu with a 2-1 win over Real Madrid. Celta were happy to sit back and try to hit Real on the break, a tactic that would have failed had it not been for the outstanding Pinto in goal.

Javier Irureta continues to cut a forlorn figure on the touchline at Real Betis after his side went down 3-2 to a renascent Villarreal. Betis took the lead twice in the match and it looked as if Irureta had turned the corner with his change in tactics. However, Cani’s winner 14 minutes from time piles even more pressure on the former Depor boss and Betis now sit just 2 points above bottom placed Real Sociedad.
Athletic Bilbao's search for a home win goes on after they were held to a goalless draw by in-form Racing Santander.

Needless to say, Real Sociedad lost again – this time to Levante. The 2-0 defeat means Lotina has now lost two in a row and his side are still looking for their first win of the season. After the match, the former Espanyol manager said “We have a few problems and we are showing too many nerves” adding “The pitch stopped us playing as well”. He was referring to Levante’s pitch and their decision to hold a rock concert on it last in the middle of the week. They probably assumed that there would be little football played on it at the weekend with Sociedad in town.

Sevilla may provide inspiration to beat Barcelona

It is likely that the biggest game of the weekend will only be seen by those lucky enough to be attending the match - that is unless a dispute between broadcasters over rights issues can be resolved before Barcelona – Sevilla kick off on Sunday evening.

Sevilla ready for Barcelona

Jose Maria Del Nido has been speaking ahead of this weekend’s clash with Barcelona and it is clear that the Sevilla President is enjoying his team’s current success. It comes as no surprise to regular La Liga watchers that Jose Del Nido is enjoying his fifteen minutes in the spotlight along with the opportunity to say “I told you so!” to his numerous, and vociferous critics.

European Supercup Result: Seville 3 - Barcelona 0

Spanish football learned a valuable lesson in Monaco last night as Sevilla gave a masterclass in tactical discipline that taught the rest of La Liga that Barcelona can be beaten after all.

European Supercup preview - Fc Barcelona v Sevilla Fc

On the eve of the Spanish football season the mouth-watering clash between Fc Barcelona and Seville in Monaco tonight should provide an interesting contrast between two competing styles of football. Furthermore, Seville’s counter-attacking play may provide a blueprint for the rest of La Liga as they seek to find a way to cancel out Barcelona’s dominance in possession.