Sevilla-Alaves is a match valid for the 20th day of La Liga and is played Friday at 9 p.m.: lineups, predictions, TV and streaming.
Among the teams in La Liga struggling to avoid ending up in the relegation zone is also reigning Europa League champion Sevilla, which has been in free fall since the beginning of the season. The Andalusians, now led by Quique Sanchez Flores – who succeeded Uruguayan Diego Alonso, who in turn had taken Mendilibar’s place – arrived at the halfway mark with the paltry haul of 16 points from 19 league days.
A situation that is becoming increasingly worrisome and not even the new coach seems to be able to find a cure for a team in clear trouble, whose main goal at this point, with Sevilla out of any European competition, becomes staying in the top flight. Sanchez Florez had made his debut on the rojiblanca bench with a bombastic victory against Granada, beaten comfortably 3-0 at home, but in the next two matches Sevilla returned to disappointment, racking up two consecutive defeats. The first with Cholo Simeone’s Atletico Madrid, who prevailed 1-0 at the Metropolitano, and the second against Athletic Bilbao at the “Sanchez Pizjuan”: Sergio Ramos and his teammates, again out of goals, surrendered 2-0 to the Basques.
Sevilla in free fall
Sevilla also did not shine in their King’s Cup match with Racing de Ferrol, beaten “only” 2-1 by taking advantage of numerical superiority in the last quarter of an hour.
Waiting to see if anyone will arrive from the market, the Andalusians will try to change gears starting with the challenge with Alaves, a salvation clash in its own right. The Basque outfit is fresh from its prestigious success in the Copa del Rey with Seville’s other team, Betis, bent 1-0 by a goal from Benavidez. In the league, however, Luis Garcia’s men have not won since late November: they have barely scored two points since then.
The prediction
Sanchez Flores, in addition to the injured Gudelj and Lukebakio, will also have to do without his starting striker En-Nesyri, called up by Morocco for the African Cup of Nations. Yet another tile for a Sevilla side that in any case should at least avoid defeat against Alaves in a match in which the total goals will most likely be at least two. Last September it was the Basques who came out on top, winning the first leg match 4-3.
The probable lineups of Sevilla-Alaves
SEVILLE (3-5-2): Dmitrovic; Badé, Sergio Ramos, Kike Salas; Juanlu, Suso, Sow, Óliver Torres, Pedrosa; Ocampos, Rafa Mir.
ALAVES (4-4-2): Sivera; Gorosabel, Tenaglia, Rafa Marín, Javi López; Antonio Blanco, Guridi, Guevara, Rebbach; Samu, Rioja.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
