(Football news) The visitors start the new year in 15th place in the league rankings, while the hosts are mired in 16th place. Having already gone through two management changes during a campaign in which they have battled both at home and in Europe, Sevilla has had a challenging season thus far.
Sevilla is only three points above the bottom three in the league after winning just three of their 18 games played. Meanwhile, the Europa League winners have already qualified for the Champions League after finishing last in a group that included Lens, PSV Eindhoven, and Arsenal.
After taking over for Diego Alonso in December, Sanchez Flores has had a mixed start to his managerial career. In his first game, his team defeated Granada 3-0, but in the season’s last game of La Liga in 2023, he watched his team lose by a close margin.
Sanchez Flores will be looking to start his reign on a positive note at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan after winning his first two away games. However, it will not be easy to take all three points, as Sevilla has lost their previous seven competitive home games (D4, L3).
Should the Andalusian team be seeking motivation, they ought to examine their recent head-to-head record against Athletic Bilbao, which consists of three victories and one tie in their previous four encounters. Athletic, who have won 10, drawn five, and lost just three of their 18 league games this season, will be happy with their performance in comparison to their opponents.
