0-0: NO GOALS IN WHAT WAS A THRILLING GAME OF FOOTBALL

With little time to rest up and 72 hours after confirming their place in their seventh UEFA Europa League final having defeated Juventus in a game where everything was left out on the pitch, Mendilibar and the team were back in action once again at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán for an eagerly anticipated Gran Derbi. In a game that lacked goals, Sevilla once again put on a thrilling display of football against their neighbours, Real Betis, who rarely troubled Dmitrovic in goal. 

There was little to split the two teams in the first half. The home side, setting the tone for the game, played some expansive football against a Betis team who were finding little success in sending the ball long to striker Borja Iglesias. Around the fifteen-minute mark, Papu Gómez made some space on the left-hand side of the 18-yard box, giving Sevilla their first chance of the night with a shot sailing over the bar. As the clock ticked on, Sevilla were edging ever closer to the opposition's box with Pape Gueye who saw his shot parried by the keeper. Now in the closing stages of a first half with plenty of woes from both sides, Óliver Torres left Abner in his wake with a brilliant nutmeg before finding Rafa Mir in the centre, forcing Bravo into action. 

Rafa Mir had the first of two key chances

Having returned from the changing rooms for the second half, Sevilla were back on the attack again. This time, it was Papu Gómez who sent a ball over from the wing to the second post finding Mir on the volley, unable to convert, sending his shot wide of the goal. Mendilibar's team were still in the hunt for that elusive goal and it was very nearly presented to them by Betis who struggled to clear their lines after another ball sent in from Papu troubled the defence. On top and causing the opposition problems, Sevilla were far from giving up. Alex Telles, in another phase of attack, came inside from the left-hand flank, telegraphing a cross into the Betis box onto the head of Erik Lamela at the far stick. The script would stay the same for much of the match with Sevilla shaking off most of the Betis attacks.  

Mendilbar looked to the bench to freshen up his attacking options and keep up this onslaught on the Betis goal. After having come onto the pitch, Suso, in what seemed like a carbon copy of his goal against Juventus, forced Bravo into a save to keep the tie level. However, the clearest opportunity of the game would fall to Erik Lamela who, in the closing stages of the game, saw his toe-poke go antagonisingly wide of the post. With the game coming to a close, Miranda, in an attempt to strip Navas of the ball, arrived exceedingly late, catching Navas in the process. Miranda was first shown a yellow card but then sent off after intervention from VAR. 

With a point earned, it leaves Sevilla two points away from a spot in the UEFA Conference League. The team will be back in action at 19:30 on Wednesday away against already relegated Elche. Following on from their trip to Elche, the team will then host Real Madrid at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán on Saturday 27th of May. 

MATCH SUMMARY

0. SEVILLA FC: Dmitrovic, Montiel (Jesús Navas, 81), Rekik, Gudelj, Alex Telles (Acuña, 81), Gueye, Rakitic, Lamela, Óliver Torres (Suso, 49), Papu Gómez (Bryan Gil, 70) and Rafa Mir (En-Nesyri, 70).

0. REAL BETIS: Bravo, Sabaly, Pezzella, Luiz Henrique (Rodri, 46), Abner (Miranda, 79), Carvalho (Paul, 71), Guido, Canales (Joaquín, 79), Ayoze, Luiz Henrique, Borja Iglesias (Juanmi, 64). 

REFEREE: Jesús Gil Manzano. Yellow cards were shown to para Montiel, Rekik, Luiz Henrique and Paul. Miranda was sent off for dangerous play.