Predictions of how Sevilla would fair this season varied wildly. One the one hand, there were those who were predicting very good things. Winning a trophy would be the perfect platform to launch a real assault on La Liga's Champions League clubs. On the other hand, any team losing three vital players in the summer transfer market would struggle.
Since Sevilla's return to La Liga in 2002, they've consistently been a mid-to-high finishing club, with the last five or so years proving particularly successful. However, breaking the glass ceiling of top four has proved stubbornly difficult. A fifth-place finish last season suggested they are getting closer, but there was still a clear seven-point gap behind Athletic Bilbao.
Los Rojiblancos did their fans proud last season by winning the Europea League in a tightly-fought final against Benfica. But three of their key performers from last season left in the summer transfer window. The heartbeat of the midfield, Ivan Rakitic, left for Barcelona, young home-grown star Alberto Moreno left for Liverpool, and Rakitic’s replacement as captain Federico Fazio left for Tottenham Hotspur.
Even the most optimistic Sevilla fan would be forgiven for fearing for both the attack and defence – Fazio was the imposing, lean ball winning centre-back, while marauding Moreno and sublime Rakitic were equally important for the attack and defence equilibrium.
Rakitic, albeit helped by a free-scoring Barcelona, has fitted in very well with Luis Enrique's team, but Fazio and Moreno have each had their struggles in England. For Rakitic, this weekend's game against his old team will be an important one personally.
After making a fantastic start, a dip in form and being dropped for El Classico means all eyes will be on the Croat this weekend. Perhaps it's not a coincidence that Rakitic's poor recent performances have coincided with Barca's bad run. As he showed last season, when Rakitic played well, so did Sevilla, never more so than in his Man of the Match performance in the Europa League final.
However, Sevilla have covered their losses well. Credit must go to the Coach, Unai Emery, especially considering how he lost both Moreno and Fazio post the season-opening European Super Cup defeat to Real Madrid.
A Coach shorn of two of his key defenders from last term has once again made his team hard to score against. Emery's selections have been mostly settled, with defenders Nicolas Pareja, Daniel Carrico, and Coke continuing or improving their form from last season, and the Frenchman Benoit Tremoulinas proving a more than worthy replacement for Moreno at left-back. Emery’s team have only lost twice in the League this term – the same as Real Madrid and Barcelona – and have the chance to set up their season this week.
Sevilla go to Camp Nou this Saturday, and then face their toughest Europa League test thus far away at Feyenoord. The Andalusians sit nicely at the top of their Europa League Group G. Avoiding defeat on Thursday in Rotterdam will all but guarantee qualification as group winners.
Breaking into the Champions League places will be very difficult. Athletic’s form might have plummeted, but a resurgent Valencia have taken their place. But with Carlos Bacca, Denis Suarez, Gerard Deulofeu, and Jose Reyes, Seville possesses great potential attacking threats. How Emery balances his attack and defence, not to mention team rotation on domestic and European fronts, will decide Seville's top four quest this season.
