Sevilla vs Barcelona Preview: Team News & Prediction
by Alex Lawes ·
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Sevilla have made a surprisingly strong start to the season in La Liga as they now welcome rampant defending champions Barcelona down to Andalusia on Saturday.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / USA – ESPN have the exclusive rights to La Liga games in the USA, so any game may be televised on one of their affiliated channels
How to watch online: UK – Disney+ / USA – ESPN+
Sevilla preview: Strong start for Sevilla
Having spent a couple of years battling relegation, the man that kept them up last year, Luis Garcia Plaza, has got Sevilla off to a good start this season with four victories and a draw in their opening six matches of the campaign.
Their fourth win came in midweek at Riazor in Galicia against newly-promoted and unbeaten surprise package Deportivo La Coruna, winning by a goal to nil with a second half strike scored by academy graduate Miguel Sierra.
Barcelona preview: Rampant Barca
Barcelona, inspired by a Raphinha hat-trick as he moved to 12 goals across all competitions this season, hammered Racing Santander by seven goals to two at Camp Nou in midweek.
That means the winners of the last two La Liga titles under Hansi Flick have now, fairly staggeringly, scored 33 goals across all competitions with seven wins from seven domestically and in the UEFA Champions League.
Sevilla team news: Sangante could return
Having signed from Le Havre this summer, defender Arouna Sangante could return this weekend with Switzerland international winger Ruben Vargas remaining sidelined due to a knee injury.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Vlachodimos; Juan Iglesias, Castrin, Kike Salas, Suazo; Miguel Sierra, Agoume, Fofana, Correia; Ure, Stassin
Unavailable: Vargas (Injured)
Questionable: Sangante (Injured)
Barcelona team news: Joan Garcia injury
Joan Garcia was forced off due to a knee injury against Racing in midweek with Wojciech Szczesny replacing him and the veteran Pole may well start in Seville.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Szczesny; Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Christensen, Xavi Espart; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha; Gordon
Unavailable: De Jong (Injured), Bardghji (Injured)
Questionable: Joan Garcia (Injured)
Sevilla vs Barcelona prediction
Sevilla have won four games thus far and yet there is a feeling that they have been fortunate in all four wins with refereeing decisions going their way against Rayo Vallecano, Athletic making lots of individual errors and then slender wins against Valencia and Depor. Barca are setting an alarmingly fast pace at the start of this season and while it will be difficult for them to sustain that for too much longer, they should still ease to another comfortable win before the international break.
Sevilla vs Barcelona tip: Barcelona to win -1 handicap
