Sevilla vs Villarreal Match Preview and Prediction

By John

Sevilla's worst start to a La Liga (LL) season across the last decade received a much welcome boost in the form of a tight 1-0 weekend win away to Mallorca that could best be described as fortunate as an early double save, a late goal-line clearance and a generous decision not to send Gonzalo Montiel off before half-time with a second yellow card assisted them in converting their only shot on target into victory.


Nonetheless, they continued an unbeaten run across all competitions (W1, D2) under the returning manager Jorge Sampaoli who assessed their first clean sheet of the LL season as a potential turning point in what has been an unfamiliar campaign: "building from fear is difficult... the group needed to calm down, and now the group will grow". It was indeed at a similar point last season where their 3-1 home win against upcoming opponents Valencia got their campaign going with a run of four consecutive LL home victories.


That was one of six consecutive H2Hs that Valenciat failed to win (D2, L4), which could count for nothing when considering they're off to their best start to a LL season since 2018/19, the campaign they last won at Sevilla. They're in a similar predicament to their hosts though, needing to plug a leaky defensive unit that has just one LL clean sheet this season and is not helping the team enjoy the full rewards of four straight hauls of at least two goals.


Despite that, it was profligate attacking that manager Gennaro Gattuso took issue with after their 2-2 home draw with relegation contenders Elche, blasting his team for wasteful opportunities at times stating: "there were four or five easy chances" which his side didn't take. Gattuso needs to look just a week further back for confidence, when Valencia won 2-1 at Osasuna a feat that Sevilla could not achieve themselves earlier in the season (L 1-2).


Players to watch: Sevilla's Óliver Torres would love to make a greater impact on his club's hopeful resurgence, having not won any of the three LL games that he has scored in this season (D2, L1). With a goal and two yellow cards in his last start and an own goal in his last appearance against Sevilla, it's anybody's guess what Mouctar Diakhaby will do upon return from suspension.
 

Fottennis Prediction: Sevilla 1 Villarreal 2

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