La Liga: Los Rojiblancos Take Title Tilt to Seville

Sevilla vs Atletico Madrid

Easter Day in La Liga and the match of the weekend.

Fourth versus first and a contest which could go some way to deciding the destination of the 2020-21 title.

Barring a late collapse, Sevilla should qualify for next season’s Champions League – they hold a 10 point advantage over the sides in fifth and sixth place – but they will still be keen to test Atletico Madrid’s title credentials when the leaders arrive at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan in La Liga on Sunday evening.

With 20 wins and six draws in their 28 league games so far, Los Rojiblancos are ahead of Real Madrid and Barcelona in the title race, but it’s now when the campaign enters its home stretch and the real pressure begins.

This fixture represents a major test.

Talking Points

Consistency is something which both teams have lacked of late.

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La Liga

Sevilla have just secured seven points out of nine following a recent wobble which included Copa del Rey elimination (despite holding a 2-0 advantage over Barca after the first leg) and a Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund.

That was the most difficult period since JulenLopetegui became the club’s coach, although was preceded by nine wins in a row which shows the progress he is making.

If proof was needed, Sevilla have collected 55 points after 28 games this term, their joint-second highest tally at this stage of a season in the top-flight after 2016/17 (57 points) and 2014/15 (also 55 points).

Atletico have also had a wobble recently but still hold the aces in the title race, seeing off Alaves last time out.

They have 66 points to date; in the last five seasons the team which has gained as many points at this stage went onto become crowned champions.

As players return to their clubs following the international break, Sevilla’s main concern surrounds Aleix Vidal who has been nursing a hamstring injury for the past month. Fernando is back in the squad though following a groin problem.

Atletico are missing key men with midfielder Yannick Carrasco suspended – although he may have missed the match anyway with an ankle injury.

They are also sweating over the fitness of Joao Felix, who pulled out during Portugal’s game against Luxembourg last week, while Moussa Dembele is injured.

Should Felix be deemed unfit to start on Sunday, there will be more pressure on the likes of Koke to link up with frontman Luis Suarez.

Kokeenjoys playing against Sevilla and has netted seven times against them in 19 LaLiga appearances, at least four more than against any other opponent in the competition.

He also has three assists against the Andalusians.

Sevilla occupy fourth position, 10 points clear of fifth-placed Real Sociedad in the La Liga table — Sevilla are comfortable in the top four, with 10 points separating them from fifth-placed Real Sociedad

Twenty-one goal man Youssef En-Nesyri, Luuk de Jong and Suso, who has seven goals to date and has been an ever-present for Sevilla since the start of December, will likely head the main threat for the hosts.

This is a meeting of two big managers with Lopetegui and Diego Simeone, who has lost only three of his 22 games against Sevilla as a manager in all competitions.

In fact, two of those defeats were in the Copa del Rey. If Simeone can guide his side to victory again it may be crucial in securing him and Atletico a major coup as they bid to end the Barca-Real dominance.

Expect La Liga highlights.

History

This fixture last season ended all square, a contest which showed to me that neither side were ready to be genuine title challengers.

Since then, of course, Sevilla have won the Europa League for a record sixth time and Atletico have mounted a genuine title charge which sees them four points clear at the summit.

Sevilla last saw off Atletico at home in the league in October 2016 when Steven N’Zonzi netted the only goal, although they did knock them out of the Copa del Rey the following season.

Four of their last five meetings have ended all square, that was until December when Atletico ran out 2-0 winners at home, thanks to goals from Angel Correa and Saul Niguez.