2020 IN EUROPE FOR SEVILLA: 13 MATCHES, THREE COMPETITIONS AND THE SIXTH EUROPA LEAGUE

2020 now only holds domestic action for Sevilla FC, with the team having fixtures in both La Liga and the Copa del Rey. The team closed off their European participation in 2020 last night with a victory over Rennes. It marked the end of an unusual but successful year for the team in Europe, and they will return to Champions League in February 2021. That marks a year from the start of European action in 2020, when Sevilla played against Cluj in Romania on 20 February 2020. The fixture came in a tough run of form for the team and the 1-1 draw, perhaps surprisingly, turned out to be a very good result.

The return leg was more difficult than expected, and the team would advance on away goals after a goalless draw in Nervión. And after that, football and the world as we know it would change. COVID-19 came and the Europa League would not restart until August after domestic leagues had been finalised. Sevilla came to life in the new format of the Europa League, defeating four opponents in one-off matches at neutral ground, lifting their sixth Europa League trophy at the end of it. It was certainly the highlight of 2020 for both the Club and the city.

After beating Cluj, Sevilla FC had to wait until August to resume European action

The team did not have to wait as long to taste action in the second European competition of the year. The team contested the UEFA Super Cup against Bayern Munich in a contest that so very nearly went Sevilla's way, but in the end the trophy ended up in Bayern's hands after injury time. And in October the team began their third European competition of the year, the Champions League. It was a productive group stage for the team, picking up 13 points from the 18 available. This is Sevilla's joint second best showing in the group stages - they also picked up 13 points in 09/10. The tally falls two points short of their record achieved in 06/07, when the team won 15 points.

The team was unbeaten away from home in Europe this 2020, two wins and two draws, and remained unbeaten on neutral ground as well within 90 minutes, only falling in injury time against Bayern in Budapest, with a tally of four victories and one defeat. The team also broke another record last night: Sevilla FC have now been undefeated in six UCL away games for the first time in their history with three wins and three draws since they last lost against Spartak Moscow in 2017.