Sevilla, with one foot out of the Champions League

Sevilla has one foot out of the Champions League. His defeat to him Lille at Snchez-Pizjun leaves him behind the group with three points, four behind the leader and behind the French team and the Wolfsburg.

Winning the two that remain to be in the second round, but has run out of network. All or nothing. A slap in the face of a team that promises them very happy in their temple, where in the League they have won everything, but the Champions League is something else. The sevillistas have not won any of the four games they have played to date in Europe. They hardly had a chance in the second period, where the nerves and frustration they were shovels to dig their own grave. Its European version has not lived up to expectations. A failure (not to pass the group stage) that is approaching and we will see how the club surpasses it. Even the Europa League will not be possible now. All is not lost, although the feeling of helplessness in the Champions League is undeniable.

And that the tier of the Snchez-Pizjun He knew the importance of the match. He did not stop cheering even when the game had its most difficult moments. In the grass the tension was palpable from the start. The players’ faces were a mixture of concentration and responsibility. And it is that the points at stake, after the victory of Wolfsburg, gained even more in relevance.

Lille, likewise, knew of its importance and placed a team full of little devils in attack. Sevilla players protect themselves with their best frame and go out playing thanks to the inspiration of liver Torres. Behind the safety triangle should be on the lookout. Fernando aborted a counter looking terrible. And in the first arrival with real danger of the local team the can was opened. Ocampos, again, will be its author, as on Saturday against Osasuna.

Suso received a ball from a rebound, after losing the dribble option a second before, and free of mark he yielded to Rafa Mir to shoot from the front. The rejection was made a goal by Ocampos. Nervin was breathing, even though there were still 75 minutes to go. And the Lille showed that it was not going to be intimidated. I asked for a possible penalty of Delaney on Jontahan David. He brushes against his boot as he drags his leg. The colleague did not go to the monitor. Play.

Sevilla tried to go out at speed, with an Ocampos with morale through the roof, but did not finish hitting the last pass. Rafa Mir failed everything that fell through his feet. Moments of doubts about how to behave. Wait and counterattack or dominate. The sevillistas prefer dominance, but the losses caused fear in the face of French verticality. Bamba tried Bono’s gloves. All before one of the plays of the night. Delaney and Bamba himself. The dans hit the striker in the face on the edge of the area. Now he was the referee at VAR. Penalty. The fourth against Sevilla in the Champions League Everyone at home! The Canadian striker himself was in charge of transforming it.

Nightmare Ikon

The Seville must start over. The last minutes of the first half were crazy. I wanted to rebuild the Nervin set, but a bad clearing of Diego Carlos On a split ball he allowed Ikon to stand hand in hand with Bono. Between the Brazilian’s close run and the extreme’s indecision, Bono reached his feet. The sevillistas were fighting. It was time for Lopetegui to put his pieces in order. And give the team another speed with people from the bench.

En-Nesyri and Erik Lamela they quickened their pace at halftime. Ikon He was the protagonist again in the first action after the break. Loss of Acua and shot that went near the crossbar after touching a defender. The feeling was that Sevilla was afraid of the situation that could be generated with another goal from the rival. And it won’t be long in coming. Weak defense inside the area. Up to three French shots on the goalkeeper, the second to the post and the third to the inside. Ikon rifle. Sevilla was bottom of the group at this time.

Lopetegui was waving the hornet’s nest. Three changes in one go. Jordn had a foul on the edge without previously touching the ball. To the barrier. He would have to perform other quick substitutions for injury. Navas felt a strong puncture. I tried but couldn’t even run. The tension in the grass and the bench was brutal. Sevilla escaped the Champions League. It was hardly played. Interruptions, loss of nerves … All run over.

Munir it was the last change. Two forwards. At least he needed to score a point. It was not possible. Nor did he shoot the goalkeeper. He didn’t know how to get his hands on the orderly Lille. The more he needed it, Sevilla left the first defeat of the course in their stadium. Going to eighth takes more utopian overtones than deed.