Sevilla take on the visitors Barcelona in the round 23 match of Spanish LaLiga. The match will be played on Sunday, February 9th at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán (Sevilla).
Sevilla, known as the White Andalusia, has failed to elevate itself to the status of a true giant in Spanish football. However, they were once very close to achieving that distinction, at least securing their place as the fourth force in La Liga. They lost that position in 2023. Initially, their drop from the top four in La Liga was compensated by yet another Europa League victory, but the following season saw disappointing results across all competitions. In the Champions League, the experienced Spaniards finished fourth in their group, missing out on the playoffs entirely. Domestically, they lingered in the lower half of the league, ending with just 41 points in 14th place. To spark improvement, they appointed Javier García Pimienta as head coach. However, under his leadership, they suffered a humiliating 1-4 defeat in the cup against Almería, a team now playing in the second division. In the league, they continue to hover near the bottom, although they have managed to avoid defeat in several consecutive matches, including a recent draw against Getafe. Despite these struggles, Sevilla's slight uptick in form suggests they might put up more resistance than expected against stronger opponents.
| 2 x £10 Free Bet | Review | |||
| 100$-500$ for No Lose Free Bets | Review | |||
| 100% up to £200 | Review | |||
| Not available | Review |
Barcelona leaves a highly contradictory impression. Barcelona left last season without any titles. While squad issues related to chronic financial problems played a role, the club ultimately parted ways with Xavi, despite his legendary status as a player, as he failed to meet expectations as a coach. Hansi Flick, with more experience and tactical acumen, has already made an impact, securing the Supercopa de España with victories over Athletic Bilbao and a dominant win against Real Madrid. In the Champions League, after a shaky start, the Catalans found their stride, becoming one of the standout teams in the tournament. However, much of that progress has been overshadowed by inconsistent La Liga results. After a strong start, they endured a dreadful run, managing only one win in seven matches. They bounced back with a resounding victory over Valencia and followed it up by thrashing the same team with five unanswered goals in the cup. Between these matches, they also secured a narrow 1-0 win against Alavés in their latest league fixture.
Barcelona's recent resurgence in both domestic and European competitions highlights their potential to dominate weaker sides like Sevilla. The 5-1 victory in October marked Barcelona's sixth consecutive win in head-to-head encounters against Sevilla. The Catalans are clearly the stronger side in this matchup. Back Barcelona to win with a -1 goal handicap.
Prediction for the match: Barcelona to win with -1.0 handicap.
