Madrid plays half the League in Pizjuán

The Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán is on its own merits one of the most difficult stadiums in the League for foreigners. Also for Madrid, which in the 21st century has known more troubles than joys in the Seville fiefdom, but on this occasion it has in the Seville neighborhood of Nervión the option of dealing an almost definitive blow in the fight for the League title.

Everything that is necessary for the white team to add a victory in their visit to Sevilla and at least maintain their current advantage of twelve points against Barça, which would be nine reais if the azulgrana team solves their matches against Cádiz with victory -on Monday- and Rayo Vallecano -postponed in its day and set for Sunday 24-, would mean having half the League in your pocket with only six days to go.

It is not surprising that, faced with a tall challenge but also a unique opportunity to make clear his dominance in this championship, Ancelotti has turned the page of the epic qualification for the Champions League semi-finals last Tuesday against Chelsea. The Italian coach considers that his team is in full condition to face a decisive battle at Pizjuán although he will not have specific left backs, without the injured Mendy and Marcelo, and neither will Casemiro, his support in midfield, due to suspension, in addition to Jesús Vallejo and Ceballos, both due to covid-19, and Hazard and Jovic, also with physical ailments.

«We play on Tuesday, we are going to play on Sunday night and in the physical aspect the team is very good. We want to play with energy, which is what this type of match needs, and we can do that. The recovery time has been sufficient. I see the team quite well, I think he has shown it in recent games, such as in extra time against Chelsea”, defended the Italian coach at the press conference prior to the match, insisting on blind faith in his Praetorians despite the many criticisms he has received throughout the season for his poor predisposition to rotations. “Everyone is waiting for Madrid’s puncture but the puncture does not come,” he dropped.

Reggiolo regrets up to seven casualties but above all two problems to solve. The first in the left-handed lane, where without specific players, the logical a priori option goes through Nacho’s wild card. The second, in the delicate position of defensive midfielder, in which without a natural substitute for Casemiro Carletto, he has already resorted to Kroos on more than one occasion, who would leave his position as inside left to Camavinga’s push, since Valverde arrives exhausted after his deployment against Chelsea. Lucas Vázquez could also offer rest to Carvajal and Asensio could be an option with fresh legs on the right flank of the Whites’ attack, with Benzema and Vinicius as watchwords for Madrid’s attacking potential.

At Sevilla, there is no longer much belief in the remote possibility of fighting for the title, but the goalless draw between Real Sociedad and Betis, the main pursuers in the fight for the first four places that represent the Champions ticket, offer Lopetegui’s team the possibility of reaching a succulent cushion of six points if on Easter Sunday they manage to break the leader in the heat of their passionate fans.

Lopetegui’s options

The Basque coach does not have the injured Rekik, Fernando and Suso. He also has serious doubts about lining up Delaney and Acuña, who already trained with the rest of their teammates in the last session prior to the match but with whom it could be very risky to risk from the starting eleven. Without his starting left-back, Augustinsson points to Seville’s left-handed lane, while Fernando’s absence leaves Lopetegui in doubt between being more conservative and opting for Gudelj as a defensive midfielder or designing a much more offensive midfield with ‘Papu’ Gómez as an interior behind the offensive trident, who is opposed by Ocampos, the ‘Tecatito’ Corona and Rafa Mir or Martial at the spearhead, instead of the recently misguided En-Nesyri.