TENTH CLEAN SHEET IN LA LIGA THIS SEASON

Yesterday's win over Getafe was one of the one's that sends a message throughout the league. The Nervión outift outplayed their counterparts all over the pitch; something which has become increasingly difficult in recent years with the emmergence of Getafe as a real force in Spanish football. Moreover, they got back a bit of their identity which they had seemed to lose over the last number of games, and it was something that was so fundamental to their start to the campaign - the defense. During the first 10 matchdays in La Liga this season, Lopetegui's men kept five clean sheets. Yesterday, they managed to double that figure in game number 25 of the league season.

In chronological order, their clean sheets have been: Espanyol, Granada and Alavés away from home; Levante and Getafe in the Sánchez-Pizjuán; Valladolid in Zorrilla; Leganés at home; Mallorca in the Son Moix; Granada in Nervión and Getafe in the Coliseum. That statistic reads at six clean sheets kept away from home, and four in Nervión. These numbers are only bettered by Real Madrid, with 12 clean sheets; and Atlético de Madrid, with 11 clean sheets. From then on, the only other team with 10 clean sheets were yesterday's opponent: Getafe CF. The other 16 teams in the league sit below the double figure mark with clean sheets in the league campaign. Now is hopefully the start of Sevilla FC regaining a bit of their defensive stability, which has been shown in the previous two encounters. On this note, Sevilla only conceded the penalty in Romania, and didn't actually concede any other chances. This happened once again in Getafe where the home side didn't trouble a whole lot Sevilla FC's defence.

With 13 games still left to play in the league campaign and with the Europa League now back up and running, the team will hope to cling to the performance shown on Sunday to get back on track and keep within the Champions League spots in the league table. After the all-important Europa League match on Thursday at the Sánchez-Pizjuán, it will be once again time for league action on Sunday and another must-win game against Osasuna. In the near future, in league terms after Sunday's match in Nervión, the challenges will not get any easier: with a trip to the Wanda Metropolitano to face Atlético de Madrid on Saturday 7th March; followed by hosting Betis in El Gran Derbi in the Sánchez-Pizjuán on Sunday 15th March.