Nothing has been missing in the run-up to the Seville derby (this Sunday at 6:30 p.m. at the Pizjuán), a match that measures much more than three points between Sevilla, local and depressed, and Betis, who arrives triumphant and hungry to give once and for all a punch on the table of the eternal Seville rivalry. A preview marked by the visit of the Biris, Sevilla’s ultra group, to the sports city to talk with the captains and their coach, Diego Alonso, who described as a “cordial chat” an appointment that is difficult to justify for the Sevilla leaders.
A depressed team, which has not won in the League for five games and takes the derby as a final. A preview to which Betis arrives with 11 games without losing and five consecutive victories, with Isco in the star plan, but with its two goalkeepers, Bravo and Rui Silva, injured, so Fran Vieites, the reserve team’s goal, will play. who is active in the Second Federation. A derby where José María del Nido, former president, even appeared, asking for unity with Sevilla in a video sent to social networks.
Sevilla is a tinderbox in sports and institutional matters. He does not raise his head in a season in which he already sent José Luis Mendilibar to hire Diego Alonso, who has only been able to win one game out of six, in the Cup and against a Regional team, Quintanar. In addition, they are coming off a defeat in the Champions League in London against Arsenal (2-0), being bottom of their group with only two points. Besieged by the ultras, without a defined style of play and in 15th position, nine points behind Betis, the group led by Alonso clings to the veterans to seek victory and begin a necessary climb.
Sergio Ramos and Acuña have recovered from their injuries and together with Rakitic, Navas, Fernando and Ocampos they make up the hard core of a dressing room that has conspired to win the derby. Against Madrid, for example, Sevilla showed their face and achieved a draw (1-1) in the Uruguayan coach’s debut. In case of defeat, Diego Alonso’s continuity would be at forward even though the Sevilla executives have asked for patience with his coach.
Added to the weight of the veterans is the undoubted dominance that Sevilla exercises in the derbies. Not even Manuel Pellegrini has been able to reverse this reality (he has led seven derbies and has only won one Cup, with three draws and three losses). Betis has only been able to win three of the last 21 derbies played, with five draws and 13 victories for Sevilla. This will be the 140th official derby between the League, Cup and Europa League. Sevilla won 65 of the previous 139, with 34 draws and 40 wins for Betis.
Betis, for its part, arrives in a great moment of form. Sixth classified is Isco’s Betis, who also plays their particular duel. After playing for Sevilla last year and leaving the Nervionense entity after a fight with Monchi, who grabbed him by the throat, Isco is the flagship of Betic football. “I know they will whistle at me, but it doesn’t affect me,” a footballer who is in a state of grace declared this week before what will be his first derby. Isco did not play the derby with Sevilla after receiving his fifth yellow card. In this course, reborn for football in a brilliant way, he received four warnings and was very careful not to see yellow in the last green-and-white duel against Mallorca. He has played 16 games, with three goals and three assists. Against Sevilla, he has played a total of 14 games, with 11 wins, one draw and two losses. He did not score in all of these matches.
Five wins in a row mark the trajectory of Pellegrini’s team, very plugged in, only affected by the losses of the two goalkeepers from the first team, Bravo (he will not play until January) and Rui Silva. Fran Vieites, goal of the subsidiary, will start at the start. “For Fran (Vieites) the motivation to play in a derby is more than enough. He is very excited and if he is on the squad it is for a reason. “Now he has to show it on the field,” clarified Manuel Pellegrini about who will be his goalkeeper in the derby.
“My personal statistics matter little to me, what worries me is getting into Europe every year, the mentality has changed compared to other years, where it was more important to win the derby than to finish fifth,” Pellegrini clarified. “Sevilla, even though they are in a difficult moment, are playing in the Champions League. “It is somewhat disoriented, four coaches have passed, but it is a big team,” added the Betis coach. “Hopefully it will be a great party with the best players,” he concluded when asked about the presence of Sergio Ramos in Sevilla.
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