From Eindhoven, the corner where the Sevilla player found paradise on earth in May 2006, comes the team that is visiting the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán today. And just for that, because of the resonances that that word arouses in the mind of the Nervión fan, the spirit of everyone who breathes Sevillism should be alerted on a night that will not be ordinary. This good vibes is very timely now that Sevilla has left behind its bad dynamics as a host (four consecutive victories in the League against Getafe, Cádiz, Elche and Mallorca) and that the Europa League appears as a receiving source of the renewed illusions of the swollen.
Curiously, in the 23 seasons that the Sevillistas have traveled the Old Continent in the last 24 years, they have never come across PSV, another illustrious European accustomed even more than the Sevillistas to playing European tournaments. The club from the industrial Dutch city plays the Champions League every season, or else the Europa League. But they have never been seen with a Sevilla that, after this very interesting tie, will barely lack the Ajax and Olympique de Marseille stickers to complete an album that few can have on their bookshelf.
This Sevilla de Sampaoli has nothing to do with that team from the last group stage of the Champions League that, at times, did not even seem like a professional football team. They already play like a good block in the Spanish First Division, with a certain solidity at the back, a certain fluidity in the middle and a certain verticality in the last meters. Sevillism is breathing and now expectantly attends a week that could be a turning point in the season: getting the tie on track against the demanding PSV coached by Ruud van Nistelrooy and, three days later, hitting the grass of Vallecas would elevate Sevilla to a most dignified stratum Not up to what your budget demands, but at least decent: in the Europa League qualifiers where there are only really good teams left, and in the long-awaited temperate zone of the First Division table, looking more up than down .
It is a key week. Of those that would be remembered when making balances in June. First things first: repeat that first part last Saturday against Mallorca, of sustained intensity, verticality and determination behind. PSV will demand more than the Balearic Islands, it is also presumable that they will push higher up due to their greater offensive resources, and an ingredient typical of European tournaments must also be taken into account: the surprise factor.
The concept of the game advocated by Van Nistelrooy may be surprising, as well as the entry of an unlisted player who is in overwhelming shape at a time or, often happens, the strange way of applying the regulations of the referee on duty, in this case the Romanian Radu Petrescu.
Logic says that Sampaoli will shoot Joan Jordán and Gudelj today, who three days later will serve a suspension in Vallecas. Even more so considering that Pape Gueye was left out of the list of entries for the Europa League. The entry of Ocampos has left out the Senegalese midfielder, which leads one to think that the Argentine is going to have, from the outset, prominence. The opposite would be absurd.
PSV: “Pa Sevilla Goes”. Do you remember?
probable lineups
Sevilla: Dmitrovic; Jesus Navas, Nianzou, Bade, Coin; Joan Jordan, Gudelj; Ocampos, Rakitic, Bryan Gil; and En-Nesyri.
PSV Eindhoven: Benítez; Van Aanholt, Ramalho, Brantwaite, Teze; Veerman, Sangare, T. Hazard, X. Simons, Bakayoko; y De Jong.
Referee: Radu Petrescu (Romanian).
Estadio: Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan.
Hour: 21.00.
