JUST TWO DEFEATS IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON, LEVELLING THE TOP-FLIGHT RECORD FOR HALF A SEASON

In the long list of Sevilla FC's numbers from 19/20, there is one that maybe goes more unnoticed due to only relating to half of the season, but it does clearly show the competitiveness of Julen Lopetegui's lads. Their numbers from the second half of the season are truly stunning. They lost just two matches in the final nineteen league matches of the season, which were 2-1 defeats against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu and against Celta at Balaídos, the last defeat. No team in Spain lost fewer games than Sevilla, with Real Madrid and Atlético also losing just twice, and Barcelona fell to three defeats.

In the remaining 17 matches they went unbeaten, breaking the club record for least defeats in half a season in a 20-team top flight. That record had stood at three, set by both Sampaoli in the first half of 2016/17 and Manolo Jiménez in the first half of 2008/09. Juande Ramos had twice gone close with four defeats, as Pablo Machín did in the first half of last season.

The numbers from 16/17 and 08/09 have been beaten

In the 20th century, the club never had less than five defeats in half a season with 20 teams in the league. They did manage just three defeats in the first half of the 82/83 season and the 56/57 season, but those leagues had 18 and 16 teams respectively. The last time the side lost just two defeats in half a season, you have to go back to the 1940s, when the top-flight had just 14 teams.

The last time it was achieved was in the first half of the 47/48 season, but the team collapsed in the second half of the season, losing seven times. However, the opposite happened in 45/46, the title winning season. They lost just two matches in each half of the season on their way to lifting the title at Les Corts against FC Barcelona. Historic numbers this season from Sevilla FC, and they demonstrate the fierce competitive nature of the Champions League side.