Sevilla are going to find it difficult to keep pace with Real Madrid | OneFootball

Sevilla drew 1-1 with Valencia at Mestalla on Wednesday evening. They took the lead through a Mouctar Diakhaby own goal before Goncalo Guedes equalised on the stroke of half time. It was an opportunity missed to close the gap to Real Madrid.

The result meant that the Andalusian side moved within four points of Los Blancos, but had they earned a victory they would have gone within just two with the same games played. That mightn’t seem like a big deal to most, but when you’re trying to keep pace with a side as powerful as Madrid it certainly is.

Carlo Ancelotti has got the club from the capital humming this season, getting the best out of a talented squad to ensure that Madrid have enjoyed a near-perfect start to the season. They’re top of La Liga, topped their group in the Champions League, won the Supercopa de Espana and are still alive in the Copa del Rey.

All that’s left for Sevilla is La Liga and the Europa League. They exited the Champions League after the group stage and were knocked out of the Copa del Rey at the weekend by their city rivals Real Betis. Winning the Europa League again would be great, especially given the final will be played at their own stadium, the Sanchez-Pizjuan. But La Liga is their ultimate goal.

And that isn’t going to be easy. Sevilla’s squad is severely stretched at the minute due to injury, covid-19 and the African Cup of Nations. They were missing eleven first-teamers for last night’s trip to Valencia and so in that context a draw is a good result. Madrid have bigger guns in their arsenal.

But Sevilla still have a chance, and if you want to back them to upset the apple cart and beat Madrid you can do so at the powerplay website. Monchi and Julen Lopetegui have built a powerful and competitive team that never says die and is capable of beating anyone. Their attention has already switched to their clash with Celta Vigo at the Sanchez-Pizjuan this weekend.

There’s also the boost of the news that Diego Carlos is likely to stay put in Spain despite interest from Newcastle United. The Premier League outfit had been pushing hard to pry the Brazilian centre-back from Sevilla, but the latest whispers emerging from the Andalusian capital have suggested that it’s more likely he stays until the end of the season than departs this January transfer window.