GUILHERME ARANA's BIG STEP FORWARD

He arrived with the reputation of one of the most promising left wing-backs in Brazilian football. Perhaps a heavy tag for a boy of barely 20 years, but he had already won two leagues in his country with Corinthians. Guilherme Arana arrived in Sevilla in January, but he did not have the chance to demonstrate his talent in his first months in the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. The change in manager, his adaption - he arrived as soon as the Brazilian league ended - and the team's demands in the closing stages of the 17/18 season meant that Arana did not have a big presence in the team. He only picked up 192 minutes in three matches, however, he now finds himself in a different position under Pablo Machín.

Although he knew full well that the competition with one of the captains, Sergio Escudero, would be more than demanding, the wing-back has been having minutes right from pre-season, which he carried into the first knock-out rounds in the UEFA Europa League. In fact, he played in five of the six matches and only missed the match in Hungary against Újpest. His great goal in Lithuania, his first in Sevilla's colours, showed that things were changing for Guilherme Arana. 

Arana has now played 992 minutes this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists

Although he was not called up for the first league match in Vallecas and remained on the bench against Villarreal, things changed precisely in this game with Sergio Escudero's elbow injury, leaving Arana as the only natural left wing-back in the squad. This was the moment to take a step forward and demonstrate he had the required level to start for Sevilla, and the stats show that Arana's response has been more than adequate. After facing defeat in the derby and not playing against Getafe or Levante, the wing-back has now played in three consecutive games in which the team has gone through their best moment.

Real Madrid, Eibar, Celta Vigo, and defeat in Krasnodar, are the four matches which he has played in a row, meaning he now has played 992 minutes this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists (against Sigma Olomouc and Standard Liege) in these three and a half months. Everything seems to indicate that after the international break Sergio Escudero will be back in action, showing that the position of left wing-back is in very safe hands.