Sevilla and Manchester City kicked off their European journey at the Sánchez Pizjuán, a stadium with a great history on a continental level, although more accustomed to success in the Europa League. The two have very different goals. The team from Seville has lost its backbone in this market and reinforcements like those of Isco or Tanguy Nianzou left the fans quite cold. Many took it with Monchi, who came out to calm things down after the defeat against Almería. On the other hand, Pep Guardiola's men start with the usual pressure to win the Champions League once and for all, which would be the club's first and also the coach's first away from the Camp Nou.
The inaugural match for Julen Lopetegui's men (on the wire after the difficult start to the season) and Guardiola's men in this new edition of the Champions League will be played this Tuesday, September 6, at 9:00 p.m. (Spanish time). It can be seen live through Movistar Plus Liga de Campeones and it can be followed minute by minute on the La Vanguardia website.
Guardiola, in what for many of his critics is sure to be a gesture of false humility, was quick to praise his rival before their matchup in Europe's top competition. "This match will be difficult because the Spanish teams dominate in Europe. I would love to have a history like the one Sevilla has, I think that City is very far from it at a European level," he confessed at the press conference prior to the match. In addition, a tactic obsessed like the one from Santpedor has recognized that in scenarios like the Sánchez Pizjuán "you have to give a lot of importance to the emotional aspect".
As much as the coach of the Mancunian team considers Sevilla to be a very tough rival, the truth is that the start of the season for the Andalusians leaves many doubts and places City as the top favourite. In four days of the League, they still haven't won: three defeats (against Osasuna, Almería and Barcelona) and a draw (against Valladolid) point to Sevilla as a vulnerable team and in a complicated situation, both at a sporting and managerial level. offices.
As if that were not enough, he has some hellish September and October ahead of him: to the Champions League group stage matches against Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund and Copenhagen, we must add league clashes against Villarreal, Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Bilbao , Valencia or Real Madrid. They will also start the month of November with a derby against Betis and with a clash against Real Sociedad the same week.
"It's easier to manage everything from victory. But in defeat the team has shown that it can beat its rivals. There is a desire to grow in adversity and that is something that I would like to highlight," Lopetegui assured at the previous press conference to the match. He is aware of the importance of the casualties suffered this summer and the loss of quality in all the lines, but he believes that Sevilla has the willpower to get out of the situation. "If they rip out a lung and a heart (Diego Carlos and Koundé) you must regenerate it as soon as possible to compete," he reflected.
