Sevilla Vs Real Madrid: 3 Takeaways From a Frustrating Watch

The fans who filled up Sevilla’s stadium yesterday may have left wishing they’d spent that ticket cash otherwise. It took only 10 minutes for the referee to brandish a red card at one of their team’s players. Half an hour later, their side was down to nine men after another straight red card. But even with their substantial advantage in numbers and quality, Real Madrid made a meal of finishing off the tie. 

Real Madrid supporters had to wait until 15 minutes before full-time to see the Sevilla net bulge. Were the teams less invested in a tie that would do little to alter their La Liga fortunes? Here’s what we surmised from that encounter in Andalusia.  

Mbappé Proves Worth the Wait

Real Madrid had to wait a few seasons before they got their man, but he’s proving to be worth the wait. Even his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, didn’t score as many goals as the Frenchman has in his debut season. Even if he didn’t score yesterday, Kylian Mbappé already had the Pichichi trophy in the bag. He makes it look easy, but scoring 29 goals in a season, while still trying to adapt to a new culture, is no easy feat. 

It would have been 30 if Mbappé had made the most of a delightful Luka Modrić through ball. We can blame that on season-end fatigue. The Real Madrid number 9 will still get another chance at cracking the 30 mark next weekend against Real Sociedad. Besides making his resume glow, that feat might help him pip Victor Gyokeres to the European Golden Boot.   

Mbappé Needs Help

Real Madrid played with a two-man advantage for half the game yesterday but only opened the scoring in the 75th minute. It can be argued that they had little motivation to go all-out, given that rivals Barcelona have already run away with the La Liga title. Carlo Ancelotti could have been said to be equally uninvested in the game, with the league being thus concluded and him having secured another job. 

That being said, he may have been a little miffed at Real Madrid’s failure to put Sevilla to the sword as their numerical advantage dictated. The misfiring Endrick should have capitalized on the occasion to prove his worth to the incoming Xabi Alonso. Arda Güler should have exerted more influence on proceedings in Federico Valverde’s role. Instead, it was left to the aging Modrić to try and pick holes in the Sevilla defense. 

Yes, Jude Bellingham did fairly well and scored a goal, but not being a traditional number 10, it would be a mistake to rely on him solely to create chances. Real Madrid has made defense a priority, with deals for Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold being finalized. But Real Madrid appears ripe for a marquee attacking-mid signing. Yet the transfer rumor mill is strangely quiet on this front. Incoming boss Xabi Alonso may tap one of his Leverkusen men for the job. 

Sevilla Needs a Reset

Not too long ago, even the La Liga big guns were apprehensive about trips to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. Although they never had Galácticos on their roster, they had highly gifted ball technicians in almost every department. Midfield generals like Ivan Rakitić and Seydou Keita, both of whom later plied their trade for Barcelona. The Catalans also pinched arguably one of the world’s best right-backs, Dani Alves, from Los Nervionenses. 

The Sevilla of the early-mid 2010s was not to be trifled with. They won the UEFA Europa League three times in a row and were regular top-seven finishers domestically. They had a simple yet wily brand of football that was easy on the eye and highly effective. Jesús Navas’ retirement in December marked the end of that era, and the transition appears to have found the Seville club’s hierarchy unprepared. This season’s Sevilla has just scraped by, escaping relegation by a hair’s breadth. 

Suso and Saúl Ñíguez were dependable creative forces in their heyday, but are now past their prime. Albert Sambi Lokonga is set to return to The Emirates following the end of his largely unproductive loan spell. Electric Belgian Dodi Lukebakio has been Sevilla’s most reliable goal threat, but even he has appeared jaded in the last few games. If the club’s admin doesn’t shake things up in the summer, a slot in La Liga 2 awaits. This will be a bitter pill to swallow for fans once accustomed to the heights of continental football.