Newsletter

Villarreal and Seville, abyss or prize

P. Lodeiro

Updated:

Keep

The last hours of the Champions League group stage arrive, moments of arithmetic, those that give validity to the saying that everyone reaps what they sow. Some will live the last day with the eighth ticket already in hand, while others already know their fate, outside of Europe, until at least the following season. Between heaven and hell, purgatory, that room in which the teams that will play the pass in the last game move, over the horn. In this position are Villarreal and Seville, two teams from less to more in this edition of the Champions League. The people of Castellón will face Atalanta in Bergamo (21.00, Movistar More) while the Andalusians will do the same, also at home, against the Austrian Salszburgo (21.00, Movistar More).

Victory is a balm for both but a draw or a defeat will leave them at the mercy of other results, a reality that is as exciting for the neutral viewer as it is tachycardic for the one involved.

Between both teams, Villarreal is the one that starts with a little more advantage to obtain the classification. Unai Emery’s men travel to northern Italy as second in the group (7 points), only surpassed by Manchester United (10), already ranked first. A victory or a draw ensures they are in the next phase yes or yes, but a defeat would degrade them to the Europa League, a competition with less pedigree than the Champions League but that brings great memories to the people of Castellón, as they were champions in it last season, the first title in the history of the Mediterranean club.

The challenge is enormous, since Atalanta is one of the leading teams in the transalpine country, fourth in the league and totally devoted to their coach, Gian Piero Gasperini, champion of an electric and avant-garde football. The Colombian also shines in Bergamo Tobacco Zapata, author of 9 goals in 12 games this season and the main threat against Villarreal, who will have to compensate for the loss of Yeremy Pino, sensation of the yellows and that the duel will be lost due to accumulation of cards. He glimpses snow for the encounter, an inclement weather that doesn’t change Emery’s plans. “It is winter, we are in Europe and we already know that the snow can happen. We have already lived it and the idea is to face the game with our best version, “he declared yesterday in the preview.

Sevilla tread more wire, on the other hand. Victory would also make them one of the top 16 teams in Europe, but only three points in Austria assure them of this honor. If estro occurs and the Wolfsburg They beat French Lille in their stadium, the Andalusians would pass as the first group, a great success if one takes into account that two days ago they were the bottom of the group. Instead, a draw would send them to the Europa League as long as the Germans don’t win. If the Teutons win and the Julen Lopetegui they score one or no points, they would be out of Europe until next season. Hispanics face such a challenge riddled with casualties: Acuña, En-Nesyri, Lamela, Navas and Suso, all regular headlines when healthy, are out of the call. As a consolation, Salszburg are not experiencing their best moment in continental competition after two consecutive defeats.

See them
comments

.

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Trending