Prediction: Sevilla vs Real Madrid

17th December 2011

Real Madrid are in desperate need of a morale-boosting victory after the disappointing El Clasico defeat, but los Blancos could face a tough task against very good Sevilla side, especially as the hosts are also looking for three points after their Champions League hopes suffered a big blow in the defeat to Levante.

After the team narrowly missed out on the top 4 finish last season, Sevilla management decided to rebuild the squad over the summer and it looks as though they have done a very good job. While Renato, Zokora and Capel were the only notable players to leave the club, los Rojiblancos signed several very good players in Piotr Trochowski, Manu del Moral, Martin Caceres and Emir Spahic, so nobody was surprised to see the team start the season in bright fashion. Sevilla got eliminated from Europe early on, but that only allowed them to fully focus on domestic competitions and the team now look like serious candidates for the top 4 finish. After winning their first four home games, Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side failed to win the next three before the convincing win over Getafe hinted that they finally managed to rediscover the impressive home form. On top of that, Sevilla have scored at least one goal in every home game this season, so we have reason to believe they will score at least one against wounded Real. The hosts are expected to line up in 4-3-3 formation, but Andres Palop, Diego Perotti and Tom de Mul miss out through injury.

Real Madrid enjoyed a remarkable start to the season, having created a six-point advantage over fierce rivals Barcelona early on, but los Merengues were unable to prove their worth when it was needed the most, as they lost the El Clasico derby despite taking the lead within the first minute. Jose Mourinho’s side are now tied on points with Barca and with a game in hand, meaning they are still in pole position, but everybody is waiting to see how the team will respond to their first defeat after fifteen straight victories in all competitions. The Copa del Rey game against Segunda B side Ponferadino showed that los Blancos may need some time to return to their best, but it is the game against Sevilla that will present a real test for them. Real have no choice but to try and win the game, meaning that they are likely to attack their opponents from the off, and with the hosts likely to respond in the same manner, we should see a very open game. Jose Mourinho is without Ricardo Carvalho and Fabio Coentrao, whereas Nuri Sahin and Esteban Granero have been left out for technical reasons.

Conclusion

Both sides are looking to make amends for disappointing defeats at the weekend, so everything suggests that we will see a very open game at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. In a clash of two attack-minded sides with plenty of attacking potential, backing both teams to score looks like the best option in my opinion.

Verdict: Both teams to score

Best Odds: 7/10

Bookmaker: Victor Chandler