Why Sevilla can ruin Manchester City’s hopes of Champions League progression Manchester City once again haven’t ha...
Why Sevilla can ruin Manchester City’s hopes of Champions League progression
Manchester City once again haven’t had the best of starts to a Champions League campaign.
A 2-1 reverse at home to Juventus is unlikely to have been predicted given that the Old Lady had lost many of her best players over the summer.
Yet the Bianconeri were more than a match for Manuel Pellgrini’s side.
Fortunately for the Citizens, group whipping boys Borussia Monchengladbach are next up tonight, but then perhaps the toughest group assignment of all – Sevilla.
Before anyone scoffs at the notion that a team who are struggling in La Liga at present will offer any sort of threat to City, it’s worth bearing in mind a few things…
Never say die
If there is one thing that Unai Emery has drilled into his players ever since he took over the hot-seat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, it is a never say die attitude.
Look at just how close the Andalusians came to upsetting Barcelona in the European Supercup at the start of the season, despite being 4-1 down with only half an hour left of the match.
In Grzegorz Krychowiak, Sevilla have a player who wouldn’t like out of place at the heart of the City midfield. A player who is prepared to sacrifice himself for the good of the team and go to war in every single game.
It typifies the spirit of the side and rest assured Emery will have them putting in a shift at the coal face for a full 90 minutes.
A 2-1 reverse at home to Juventus is unlikely to have been predicted given that the Old Lady had lost many of her best players over the summer.
Yet the Bianconeri were more than a match for Manuel Pellgrini’s side.
Fortunately for the Citizens, group whipping boys Borussia Monchengladbach are next up tonight, but then perhaps the toughest group assignment of all – Sevilla.
Before anyone scoffs at the notion that a team who are struggling in La Liga at present will offer any sort of threat to City, it’s worth bearing in mind a few things…
Never say die
If there is one thing that Unai Emery has drilled into his players ever since he took over the hot-seat at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, it is a never say die attitude.
Look at just how close the Andalusians came to upsetting Barcelona in the European Supercup at the start of the season, despite being 4-1 down with only half an hour left of the match.
In Grzegorz Krychowiak, Sevilla have a player who wouldn’t like out of place at the heart of the City midfield. A player who is prepared to sacrifice himself for the good of the team and go to war in every single game.
It typifies the spirit of the side and rest assured Emery will have them putting in a shift at the coal face for a full 90 minutes.
Grzegorz Krychowiak is a quality player (Picture: Getty Images)City rotations
Sevilla will be looking to take full advantage of a quirk in the fixture calendar.
Just a few days after this match, City make their way to Old Trafford for what is one of their biggest games of the season.
Arguably, if the status quo remains the same over the next couple of games, it will be a winner-take-all fixture with the victor sitting proudly atop the Premier League.
Pellegrini can ill afford to have injuries or tiredness affecting his game plan in the Manchester derby and will rotate his squad during the week accordingly.
Taking Sevilla lightly will be the Chilean’s downfall however. As it was against Juve.
No pressure
There is absolutely no pressure on Sevilla, other than that which they put on themselves.
No one realistically apart from the Spaniards themselves are expecting Sevilla to win this match and that’s just how Emery likes it. The underdog. It’s a role he and his side are used to playing and without fear, more often than not they deliver the goods.
With £309m worth of talent in their ranks, City simply have to win. Are their players able to withstand the pressure? Performances against Juve, West Ham and Tottenham would suggest not.
A team that possesses Fernando Llorente, Ciro Immobile, Michael Krohn-Dehli and more won’t be marooned at the foot of La Liga for long.
City should fear the backlash.
Read more: http://metro.co.uk/2015/09/30/why-sevilla-can-ruin-manchester-citys-hopes-of-champions-league-progression-5404111/#ixzz3nE3kvUuk
