Defending the leadership of the Spanish Championship and a long undefeated series, Barcelona receives this Saturday, November 4, Seville. The match is part of the schedule of the eleventh round of the 2017/2018 edition of the tournament. It will be held in Camp Nou from 17:45 (Brasília time).
Barcelona’s recent performance
Barca disappointed on Tuesday, October 31. Against Olympiacos in Greece, they went from the scoreless draw to the fourth round of the UEFA Champions League group stage. Although he still leads Group D, now with ten points (three wins and a draw), he missed the opportunity to secure a spot for the next stage of the tournament with two early days ahead.
It was not a disastrous performance. Barcelona had dominated the game (66% possession against 34% of the Greeks), sought the goal more often (19 to 6), scored more finals (6 to 1) but failed to swing the net.
Equality, however, at least served to further expand the long unbeaten series of Barca. The Catalan team has not lost since August 16, when it took 2 to 0 of Real Madrid, in the capital, in the second game that decided in favor of the constituents the title of Supercopa of Spain.
In these almost three months without losing, he made 15 matches. He won 13 of them and tied twice. This yielded, in addition to the good situation in the continental tournament, the leadership shot of the Spanish Championship. With 28 points (nine wins and one defeat), he is four points clear of Valencia, who is the leader. However, the comparison that really matters is with Real Madrid, third place. In this case, the front of Barca is eight points.
To face Sevilla, most likely coach Ernesto Valverde may still have midfielder Andrés Iniesta (eight games in the Spanish 2017/2018 Championship, one goal), which is bruised. Also in the medical department are defender Aleix Vidal (five games, no goal), midfielder Arda Turan (without performances) and striker Ousmane Dembele (two games, no goal).
The current form of Seville
Sevilla entered the field a day later than Barcelona. His commitment to the Champions League was fulfilled on Wednesday, Nov. 1, against Spartak Moscow. At home, made 2 to 1 at Spartak Moscow and took the deputy leadership of group E with seven points, one less than the leading Liverpool.
It was the proof of the reaction of the team, which had suffered two consecutive thrashes. The first for Spartak, in Moscow, by 5 to 1. The other by the Spanish Championship. Also away from home, took 4 to 0 of Valencia.
The improvement in performance began with a quiet win against little Cartagena, 3-0, for the Spanish King’s Cup away from home, and was extended with a 2-1 draw in Seville against Leganes for the tenth round of the League.
With 19 points (six wins, one draw and three defeats), Sevilla are fifth in the tournament, out of the Champions League qualifying zone, but enough to secure a place in the Europa League. The distance to Atletico Madrid, which closes the block that would take place in the next edition of the main tournament of clubs of the Old Continent, however, is short, only one point.
History of the matches between Barcelona and Sevilla
Barcelona have won their four most recent matches against Sevilla. The undefeated series is even longer reaching six games (five wins and a draw). In Camp Nou, the Sevilla team have not won since January 2010, when they made 2-1 in a match for the Copa del Rey.
Although poor striker Luis Suarez, who has scored just three goals in the season, is affecting Barcelona’s offensive productivity, homemakers are still the best guessing option for the duel. They are priced at 1.18 on Bet365. Draw has a return of 7.50 and Sevilla’s success multiplies the investment by 12.00.