The so-called Champions League is always a step up for clubs like Sevilla, who were the best team outside the the competition, after winning back-to-back Uefa Cups.
On Matchday 1 they went to Arsenal and lost 3-0. That hurt them, and since I consider pride to be the main component of the Latin personality, my guess is that Sevilla will be very keen to perform better tonight.
Main interest for me is whether Arsene uses his secret weapon : Armand Traore.
Various whispers from Colney during 2007 confirm that the coaching staff have been amazed by the teenage left back. Traore has become phenomenally powerful and fast and his shooting is scary. He hits the ball harder than Robin van Persie.
As you know, I never write about reserve players. They don’t come onto my radar screen till they play for the first team and I see no point in speculating about what they might do in the future. That is one of my golden rules and it may be a mistake to break that rule on this particular Tuesday morning, even though Gael Clichy is injured and did not make the trip. So all I will say is : if Armand Traore plays on Matchday 5, even as a sub, it will be interesting.
Sevilla had four or five half-chances at Arsenal but they didn’t work Almunia all night.They were outpassed and out-played but the first goal was a deflection, the second a free-kick, and the third a mistake by a teenage defender in the 90th minute
Having lost coach Juande Ramos to Spurs, Sevilla are now struggling just above the relegation zone. Ramos leaving was a huge blow and it came too soon after the shocking death of left back Antonio Puerta, who collapsed during a game in August.
Their key player is dynamic Dani Alves, the Brazilian right back, who didn’t play in their 2-1 defeat at home to Real Mallorca, as he was suspended.
Alves only played five minutes for Brazil against Uruguay, came on as a late sub for Maicon. Luis Fabiano and Gilberto Silva, Brazil’s captain, played the whole 90, I think.
That was a very competitive game that I watched after England lost to Croatia. Uruguay haven’t qualified for three of the last four World Cups but you would never have guessed that from they way they played in Sao Paulo. On a night of pulsating action, Uruguay proved they were not scared of Brazil, scoring first, matching Kaka stride for stride as he ran at them, so that Brazil, at home, were losing the game for 36 minutes in the first half, and drawing it for 20 minutes in the second, and Inter’s Julio Caesar had to save two headers at the end.
All in all, a very close, exciting game, dominated by Uruguay, and played as if it was a World Cup semi-final.
The man who made the difference was Luis Fabiano, who raced onto a pass in a very wide position in 44 and blasted a low-shot through Carini’s legs to make it 1-1 at half-time. In 65, Maicon crossed from the right, the ball was whacked back across the goal from the left, and Fabiano scored a classic centre forward’s goal, banging in a right foot shot. Within a minute at the other end, Julio Cesar had to make a great save from an Abreu header, and he made another good save near the end.
In Brazil’s previous match, Wagner Love was pretty lightweight and while his runs took defenders away from Kaka, what he did wasn’t enough for coach Dunga. So Dunga dropped him against Uruguay and played Luis Fabiano, partly because the match was in the Morumbi Stadium in Sao Paulo where the striker used to play his club football.
Athletic and physical, aggressive and springy, Luis Fabiano is a power player rather than a touch player like Wagner Love. He miscontrolled most of the balls which came his way against Uruguay – but he scored two goals.
Tonight might be a tame game. But if I’m right, and Sevilla are really up for it, the contest will be interesting and watchable. Sevilla have various players who can score, as well as Kanoute and Fabiano, like Renato, who got two against Steaua in their last game.
Matchday 5 can be a bit weird because of weakened teams. No Gallas or Adebayor tonight, Senderos is back, facing Kanoute, who signed for Spurs, then remembered his African roots after signing, and went off to play for Mali in January. I can never respect a player who does something like that. For me, that’s despicable.
Not much else to say, really. If you’re Spanish, tonight might be memorable.
Fabregas and Almunia are Spanish and very proud of Arsenal’s unbeaten record.