Muriel celebrates putting Sevilla FC 2-0 up against Málaga in the Sánchez-Pizjuán
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A BATTLE FOR ANDALUSIA

28/02/2018
Without time to rue missed opportunities after Sunday's loss to Atlético, Montella's Sevilla FC now need to pick themselves up and look for an instant response in La Liga. Without Sergio Escudero through suspension and just 69 hours after full-time sounded this weekend, changes to the tried and tested Sevilla eleven seem likely. Facing a struggling local rival in Málaga, now is a perfect time to assert regional dominance

Málaga CF versus Sevilla FC is always an attractive and complicated clash, though in this second round of fixtures, both teams are plagued by a sense of urgency that was not present in the Nervionenses 2-0 home victory over their local rivals in September. The hosts are in desperate need of three points after a sorry start to the new year, where Sevilla need three points to give the side some confidence and familiarity following a difficult loss to Atlético and to keep within any chance of securing Champions League football through the league season. With the clash between two Andalusian teams appropriately falling on Andalusia Day, there is no better time for Sevilla to assert their regional dominance in the Rosaleda. 

Montella's Sevilla need to hit the reset button and refind the form that gave them positive results in January and February

Just 69 hours after Sevilla's last La Liga fixture, this Wednesday's fixutre gives Montella's team the chance to reset in the league - fixing mistakes made from Sunday's loss and refinding the qualities that put the side in the Final of the Copa del Rey and gained valuable league wins against Espanyol, Girona and Las Palmas. With Jesús Navas unlikely to feature owing to a calf strain picked up earlier this week and Sergio Escudero banned for the accumulation of one too many yellow cards, now might be the time for other faces to step up to the plate and freshen up the stalwart starting eleven Montella has relied on so heavily since his arrival. Montella has already confirmed Arana as a possibility. 

This Wednesday's opponent Málaga CF are bound to be competitive and dangerous as the fixture marks one of their last chances to avoid relegation. The team haven't managed to bag a victory in their last 10 La Liga matches, 7 of them under their current manager José González. The general trend of the side's performances has seen better results in the last 2 and a half months. Alongside two draws (1-1 and 0-0), their losses have been tight. At La Roselda, in addition to a 0-0 result against Girona, 2018 has seen the side beaten by Espanyol (0-1), Atlético (0-1) and Valencia (1-2), matches which all saw Málaga create chances. In their 12 matches at home, the team have managed to bag just two victories, three draws and seven losses in total. The side have conceded 40 goals, the same as Sevilla, but have scored just 16.

The Uruguayans Castro (3) and Rolan (2), alongside Bastón and En-Nesyri (banned), with 2 goals each, have scored 9 of Malaga's 16 goals

On the offensive side of things, José González's side's greatest assets are their Uruguayan players, Castro (3 goals) and Rolan (2), second to them with 2 goals each are Borja Bastón and En-Nesyri respectively, the latter of whom is banned from this Wednesday's game. For both teams, due to bans and injuries, there will be changes to the starting elevens for a midweek match that will require both fresh legs and fresh minds. Perhaps a new-look starting eleven will be just the change Montella's squad need as they look to get back to winning ways in La Liga Santander. 

A must win match. Though the opponents will not come into the game soaring with confidence, there is the clear danger of a reaction and Sevilla will need to do everything in their power to contain it. With the perfect date set for two Andalusian sides to do battle, the Nervionenses now need to show the fight of warriors and claim the region for their own. Nothing less than a win will do.