Of course nothing can be taken for granted in La Liga seeing as it is the best league in the world but let’s make one thing clear – anything less than three points at home today will be a massive disappointment.

Coming off a midweek triumph in Europe will undoubtedly add to our confidence but at the same time we have to be careful because success is a dangerous thing. We saw what happened after we beat Real; we came back from the international break and got shot back down to reality by Depor.

What will make this an even more difficult task is the amount of absences we will have from our regular squad and starting XI. We have several key players out due to illness, knocks picked up against Stuttgart midweek and longer term injuries as well. It’s funny how just a bit over a week ago I was saying how Manolo has a selection headache because of how well everyone was playing, but now it seems like he’ll have a selection headache for a whole other reason.

The biggest blow to us is that both Luis Fabiano and Ivica Dragutinovic will be out due to viral infections as will Frédéric Kanouté due to a minor knock he picked up midweek against Stuttgart which he has been unable to fully recover from. Adriano will also be out of the squad for what is projected to be about a month as he limped off in Germany due to a pulled muscle. Last but not least, Andrés Palop will remain out of the squad due to his minor injury meaning Javi Varas will start his third consecutive match.

Due to all these injuries a few call ups have been made to the squad including Manuel Redondo, José Carlos and last but not least, Chevantón. Yes, I said it – CHEVA.

He used to be a personal favourite of mine as he would always come on and score – he was like the ultimate supersub. Obviously with the competition we have up front this year he is struggling to see minutes on the pitch and rightfully so but now is a good a time as any to prove his worth. Injuries never really helped his cause as when he would get an opportunity to play, he often got injured and wouldn’t play again till weeks later. Having said all this, he probably will not start or possibly even play at all as I expect Negredo to start up top alongside Koné.

It will be very interesting indeed to see how Jiménez assembles our starting XI tonight with so many key players out. Just so you have an idea of who you might see tonight, the squad will look something like this:
Javi Varas, Dani Jiménez, Konko, Sergio Sánchez, Squillaci, Lolo, Escudé, Fernando Navarro, Redondo, Zokora, Duscher, Renato, Romaric, José Carlos, Navas, Capel, Perotti, Chevantón, Koné, Negredo.

Even with this squad I believe we have the depth to come away with all three points. With our passionate fans behind us for 90 minutes, we should expect nothing less than a victory at home.

¡¡VAMOS MI SEVILLA!!

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Anyway, back to the real goods and that is why I chose this picture. Jesús Navas in my opinion is probably the best right winger in Spain besides Andrés Iniesta and has been on absolute fire this season. He has played the second most total minutes this season, only behind Andrés Palop and can proudly say he is the team’s highest scorer (along with Kanouté, Negredo, Perotti, Luis Fabiano and Renato mind you), with two goals. He’s an all around class act and probably my favourite player in the world just simply because of how he’s so underrated can with him we are rising to one of Europe’s most prominent sides.

Depor before the international break were on some impressive form of their own and only sit one place and three points behind us in the table. As we know from last season, “SuperDepor” as they were once hailed, are no pushovers. Although we managed to hand them three defeats in merely a week last season, this year things have changed a bit. The boys from A Coruña are continuing their impressive display of results from last season but keep in mind that we’ve also gotten much stronger. A scary thought for us is going away to the Riazor which is probably one of the hardest stadiums in Spain to come away with points from.

A few set backs for us as Andrés Palop will be replaced by Javi Varas to start in goal because of a wrist injury. Sébastién Squillaci will also be out due to a calf injury as will Luis Fabiano due to the fact that he only just returned from his international duty and is being allowed time to fully recover.

Last year I would be scared about these three major absences but this year we have more than enough depth in the squad to cover for these three men being out. Negredo is hot and fresh off his double which he scored for Spain as they handed Bosnia-Herzegovina a 5-2 defeat, so he will most likely start alongside Kanouté. Squillaci will probably be replaced by Dragutinovic who will most likely start alongside Escudé in the centre of defense.

Both players who will step in to cover the injuries are more than capable and can easily handle the task at hand.

In my opinion the match will come down to if we can we maintain our confidence after a two week break. No doubt Negredo will be full of confidence after his impressive performances for Spain but will the rest of the squad be able to follow suit? A win in A Coruña will definitely prove our worth this year in La Liga, if we haven’t already.

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It was just two years ago when we faced a much earlier than expected exit from Europe’s largest competition at the hands of Fenerbahçe in a penalty shootout that went all wrong. We’re back though and stronger than ever, we have a much deeper squad in which Jiménez mix and match to field a starting XI capable of challenging any team in the continent.

We travel to Glasgow for the first time since that historic UEFA Cup match three seasons ago when we walked out triumphant over Espanyol. It was a match which all Scots should take a look at to get an idea of just what they’ve got themselves involved with. Having said that though, this is a team who has changed much since the days when Alves missed a penalty and Martí was pulling the strings in the midfield.

It will be far from easy against the defending Scottish Premier League champions but then again, this match will be far from anything that Rangers face domestically. The SPL is generally a two horse race with the last decent outside competition coming from Aberdeen some 25-odd years ago. The “Gers” haven’t lost a match in any competition since March 15th against domestic rivals and former winners of this tournament, Celtic. Then again, to add to our favouritism once again, it will be noted that Rangers haven’t won against Spanish opposition since the 85/86 season.

The key to this match will be to contain our confidence. Since losing the first match of the season against Valencia we have gone on to win 5 straight matches in all competitions and more times than not, emphatically. Our resurgent side has shown not only that they have what it takes to respond to defeat, but also that we have what it takes to compete with the big boys of La Liga and Europe as a whole.

More good news for us as the defending Scottish Champions are also lacking in the scoring department having not scored a goal now for 293 minutes against domestic competition.

After absolutely demolishing Athletic Bilbao on the weekend we head into the land of Haggis and Irn-Bru with absolutely peaking confidence – just the way to head into a Champions League match up. Summer signings Sergio Sánchez, Didier Zokora and especially Álvaro Negredo have all impressed thus far and have basically cemented themselves in the starting XI more times than not.

Let’s get to the bit of bad news now as we’ll be without our ENTIRE Argentine contingent. Perotti still hasn’t recovered from that Achilles tendon he aggravated against Mallorca last week, Duscher is still recovering from his lengthy back injury while Fazio is out with a slight ankle knock picked up a couple weeks back. Acosta has a muscle strain and needs to undergo a further scan to dictate the seriousness of the injury and Chevantón is still out with a long term calf injury.

Okay so enough of the depressing stuff because all is good of late in Nervión. If you saw the weekend match you would have seen that two of our potentially most valuable players for tomorrow’s match played absolutely out of their skin, fantastic. Diego Capel showed this weekend just why he was not too long ago considered a regular in our lineup and Renato showed just what experience he brings to the squad. The Brasilian scored in our last Champions League against Unirea and will have to have another strong performance tomorrow if we are to overcome Rangers at Ibrox. Some more good news for us as Romaric has returned to the squad after regaining full fitness giving Jiménez more depth and options in the centre of the park. Speaking of the centre of the park, Lolo had a solid match against Bilbao giving Manolo more selection headaches (as if he didn’t already have enough) and showing exactly why Monchi was so reluctant to let him go back to Málaga.

Rangers may have drawn Stuttgart in Germany and think they have a shot being at home against us but I think anything less than a full three points will be embarrassing. If we truly want to establish ourselves among the elite sides in Europe we must get results in places where they are expected; Scotland being one of them. It will be interesting to see who gets the start up front as all three of our strikers are in red hot form.

Despite Kanouté and Negredo’s prominence, Fabiano’s return to the squad is a huge return as he’s been on absolute fire for both club and country. He’s already got two goals in the league which for him has only been two matches and one in the Champions League. The competition we have up front is incredible and if he continues his form it’ll continue to push Negredo and Koné even harder to crack the starting XI.

This match will be interesting – Mallorca have been on a good run of form and find themselves in fourth place coming into this match and we started with a bump but have been more than convincing since and find ourselves in 6th with 6 points.

We really don’t have a good record against Mallorca to be honest so anything can happen but with the form we’re in I expect nothing less then all 3 points. Being at home behind our amazing fans as well, a victory is a must.

We’ve had two friendlies so far up until this point and we’ve come out on top in both but not as convincingly as planned. Zokora made an impact as planned but alone he wasn’t enough to lift us to more than a shaky 1-0 victory over Conil CF.

Technically we’re the hosts of this tournament with the matches being played in both El Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán and the Estadio Olímpico which are both in our beautiful city. Not sure how much home field advantage will factor in to the games but we’ll have to see after tonight.

Tonight’s match against Italian giants Juventus will take place in the Estadio Olímpico which has a maximum capacity of about 57,600.

It’ll be a real test for us for two reasons – 1) Juventus are a top side with top players such as Amauri and Trezeguet amongst many others and 2) We’re without our two hitmen Luis Fabiano and Kanouté.

Luis Fabiano was given extra time off to recover from the Confederations Cup in which he led Brasil to victory and won the Golden Boot to show for it. Kanouté was also given extra time and as a result the deadly duo only started training this week thus, not having reached acceptable match fitness yet. Like I said, it truly will give Jiménez an idea of who will play next season from Koné, Chevantón or even Alfaro who has impressed in pre-season.

Adriano, Fazio and De Mul are all also nursing slight knocks but are included in the squad and expected to play if needed none the less.

The Old Lady are looking a bit crippled also with Melo, Giovinco and Diego out which could balance the sides a bit or even shift the advantage to us.

Our midfield is what I’m interested in. Now of course Navas will start on the right with either Capel or Perotti on the left but I’m curious to see who Manolo will start in the centre. It is presumed that Zokora will play the holding midfield role but will Jiménez give him the freedom to roam and therefore start Duscher to hold instead of will he go with the more experienced as the attacking midfielder? Maybe he’ll go with an all-Ivorian pair of Zokora and Romaric in which I’m actually really excited to see. Whatever it is, it will be experimental and interesting for anyone watching.

New boy, Sergio Sánchez will not play after just arriving in Nervión today and not being match fit yet which will mean Adriano or Konko will start at right back.

It’s hard to say what this game will come down to because clearly both sides will be going all out for a victory in a match which is for both teams, the first real test of the pre-season. What I do know is that Zokora will be keen to make a first impression and if you know our fans, well yeah, they’ll be keen to make an impression as well.

Today we travel to Soria to finish off our successful campaign against Numancia but overall it’s a meaningless match – we will finish third regardless and Numancia will be relegated.

There isn’t much to write about this match except for the fact that we will be missing 5 key players; not for any reason other than Jiménez’ decision to rest them. Kanouté, Luis Fabiano, Aldo Duscher, Adriano and Fernando Navarro will all be watching from the stands today as we try to finish off this year on a good note.

The squad for the match will look like this:
Palop, Javi Varas, Konko, Escudé, Squillaci, David Prieto, Dragutinovic, Crespo, Mosquera, Romaric, Renato, Diego Capel, José Carlos, Acosta, Jesús Navas, Perotti, Armenteros, Chevantón and Koné.

Game Notes:
• José Carlos and Armenteros were called up for this one from relegated Sevilla Atlético.
• No Kanouté or Fabiano means Chevantón and Koné will most likely start up top and considering both have been injured for most of the season it will be interesting to see how they perform with no pressure.

Transfer News:
Jiménez stated in a press conference that he has 2-3 midfield targets that he would like to bring to Nervión for next season but made it clear that we will not be held ransom for any deals. Despite having extra cash because of our qualification for the Champions League, Manolo stated that at Sevilla we still have our economic policies and President José Maria del Nido along with Monchi won’t break the bank to bring any certain players in.

When asked about bringing in new strikers for next year he said it all depends on how the injured ones recover and that he will assess that problem mid-summer if need be.

All in all it’s been an entertaining year; there’s no denying that. I hope our boys go crazy against Numancia and send them back to la Segunda in style – Sevilla style.

Today will mark the fourth time we’ve played Depor this season in which we’ve won the previous three matches. We knocked them out of the Copa del Rey with victories both home and away and also in the reverse of this fixture when we came out of A Coruña with a 1-3 victory.

So sure, we’ve had Deportivo’s number this year but this match means a lot to both sides so it won’t be as simple as we may have hoped for. We’re still looking to secure that third spot for direct qualification to the Champions League while Deportivo are looking for a European place of their own, except in the Europa League but also a very slim chance of getting into that fourth spot.

This match will be our last played at home this season and nothing would be nicer than going out in style with an emphatic victory over a solid Depor side. On a night where our beloved ex-captain Javi Navarro will receive a retirement award before the match, we should show the confidence and hunger which he inspired during his time with the team.

Last Minute Updates:
• Kanouté did briefly struggle this week with his fitness but trained normally on Thursday and Friday so he will most likely start today.
• Romaric is suspended for today’s match after getting sent off last week.
• Chevantón makes his return to the squad after being sidelined for most of the season with a knee injury.

The official squad for tomorrow’s match:
Palop, Javi Varas, Konko, Adriano, Squillaci, Escudé, Dragutinovic, Crespo, Fernando Navarro, Maresca, Renato, Duscher, Jesús Navas, Perotti, Diego Capel, Luis Fabiano, Koné, Chevantón and Kanouté.

A win today would solidify us in third place and also allow us to say goodbye to our home fans and know that they can go home happy. We haven’t exactly been convincing at home this season but if Kanouté and Fabiano can link up like they have in recent weeks I can’t see the Depor defense keeping up with us.

This match is the tale of two sides in very different situations. We’re fighting our way to becoming one of Spain’s strongest teams and poor little Osasuna is fighting to stay in La Primera. Despite this massive gap in the table between us and our friends from Pamplona today’s match will be anything but simple or straight forward. Last time when we played Osasuna at home we drew 1-1 in a match which was supposed to be an easy three points for us.

We are playing away and a win today coupled with another couple convenient correct results will guarantee us Champions League football next season and surely that is motivation enough for us to get the right result.

Kanouté and Luis Fabiano have been in top form lately showing just why they are one of Europe’s best striking partnerships and it will be key for them to perform well today in Pamplona. It’s been a hot and cold season for our two star hitmen with both of them serving some time on the sidelines due to injuries but ever since about a month ago when they’ve both been at peak fitness they have clicked again and are working wonders for us. It’s a shame that Fabiano (last year’s Pichichi runner-up) has hit his peak towards the end of this season but hopefully he can finish off in style and if that means pushing Osasuna further down towards La Segunda then so be it!

Diego Capel played solid on the left for us last week and got some good minutes in, something he has been lacking this season. It will be interesting to see which “Diego” Jiménez starts – Capel or Perotti. The Argentine youngster has been an absolute sensation this season and has become a fan favourite amongst us Sevillistas. That being said though, Capel is a proven talent, we all know that and if he’s not happy then one of Europe’s top clubs will snap him up in a flash which I definitely don’t want to see happen.

Fernando Navarro and Konko are in the squad after both being out of last week’s due to suspensions.

Osasuna might be fighting for their lives but let’s be honest here – we don’t expect to walk out of Cataluña with less than all three points.

Today we travel to El Madrigal to take on a Villarreal side who currently sit in fifth place, one point behind Valencia for that fourth and final Champions League spot and two points behind us for third place in the league. This match is the end of our death run which included matches against Barça, Real, Valencia and now the Yellow Submarine. A win is going to be crucial because the matches to close out the season are pretty favourable for us as opposed to Villarreal and Valencia who still have to play the top teams in the league as well as each other.

Not only have we been abysmal of late but Villarreal have been suffering as well. A mere 4 points from their past 5 games have seen the Yellow Submarine drop out of fourth place but a win today can change all that. If we lose and Valencia picks up at least a draw against Espanyol we would see ourselves drop out of the top four for the first time since November 29th, 2008.

Luckily enough for us, Villarreal will be missing some of the key players in their squad due to injury. With Santi Cazorla, Marcos Senna and Guille Franco out hurt, this will no doubt leave a few holes in the midfield which we must capitalize on. There is no doubt that Senna is a massively influential figure in the middle of the park and not having him is a huge blow for Manuel Pelligrini.

I guess not all is good for us either as Acosta, Fazio, and Chevantón are out with injuries and Romaric is suspended for the match due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

It will be key to get Kanouté the service he needs as without him scoring we look very boring up front as Fabiano isn’t exactly on the top of his game either. Capel played well last week when he came off the bench so it will be interesting to see if Jiménez starts the Spanish youth international against our new prodigy Diego Perotti who has brushed aside Capel in the pecking order.

Regardless of injuries, suspensions, or whatever other little facts surround this match, there is no doubt that it is a must win for both sides which will make it one to watch. Both teams need this victory to even hope of making the Champions League next year and a loss will probably still see them playing in Europe but rather in the Europa League.

I cannot put my displeasure in regards to everything about Real Madrid into words. I’m not sure if it’s the glory hunting fans (what glory? Not too sure…), their boring style of football, or the sheer ignorance of the upper management who walk around Europe looking to buy any player with a ridiculous price tag.

Whatever it is, the hate is there and I can’t emphasize that hate enough.

We return to Nervión after an embarrassing 3 game loss streak and we definitely believe that we can turn things around tomorrow when we take on the mierda.

It’s probably the most important match in regards to finishing the season for us because we currently sit in that third Champions League spot with 57 points, 1 ahead of fourth place Valencia who drew with Barcelona just earlier today.

Last match against Barcelona in the Camp Nou where we were embarrassed 4-0 we started somewhat of a different lineup with Koné lining up alongside Luis Fabiano, Javi Varas in goal for the suspended Andrés Palop, and Diego Capel getting a rare start (doesn’t get many these days) on the left flank. It seemed like subconsciously Jiménez knew that Barça was just too strong a side to beat and as a result he rested Kanouté so he would be fresh when we play the mierda this weekend.

Nothing would make me happier than a win against our former money grabbing coach Juande Ramos who left us hanging last season when he searched for greener pastures in England. A win would also potentially end the title race for the capital club who sit 7 points adrift from leaders Barcelona.

Some good news for us here as the mierda’s mierda defender Pepe has been suspended 10 matches for a random violent outburst against Getafe and will not play. Robben, Heinze and Sneijder are all out with injuries and Huntelaar will undergo a last minute assessment to see if he is fit for the match but is still a huge doubt. Higuaín picked up a yellow card last match but of course since he plays for the mierda it got rescinded and he will be able to play.

Sure we’ve lost the last three matches but it’s a whole different ball game when we play the mierda at home, the crowd gets behind us like it’s a derby matchup and especially this time with Ramos showing his face after ditching us, no doubt it will be one for the ages. It’s obvious for anyone who watches fútbol that Real is probably the luckiest team ever (perfect example – last match against Getafe) but luck can only last so long and I think we’re in a perfect position to end that lucky streak. With the atmosphere of the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán and the tension built up between the two squads from the reverse fixture where we got a late winner through Renato, we can definitely get all three points and move onto next week’s match against Villarreal with the utmost confidence.