Match reports

4-0: ROUT IN GALICIA DEMANDS IMMEDIATE REACTION

07/04/2018

Sevilla FC’s La Liga woes continued this Saturday in Galicia, as the Nervionenses slumped to a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Celta Vigo. Ex-Sevillista Iago Aspas would bag a hat-trick to rub salt in the wounds

Sevilla FC fell to a heavy defeat in Galicia this Saturday at the hands of Celta Vigo, as the Nervionenses’ rivals for Europa League qualification put themselves well in the race for European football. Good work in a controlled first 45 minutes was robbed by an unfortunate Arana own goal – though Sevilla fight would eventually give way to an abject second-half. An Aspas hat-trick would hand Sevilla an embarrassing away loss before Wednesday’s trip to Munich.

From the very first minute Sevilla showed an intention to go out and press their Europa League rivals. Just three minutes into the game, Nzonzi was the first to try his luck at the Vigo net with a powerful effort from long-range that was well smothered by Sergio. Not five minutes later, Sandro – having replaced an injured Joquín Correa in the starting eleven at the last minute – would have a golden opportunity to break the deadlock when getting on the end of a short back-pass. His toe-poked effort would strike the Vigo keeper and bounce away.

A bright start in the first-half soon gave way to an abject start in the second

Sevilla had shown a bright start and proceeded to dominate the opening half an hour. With the hosts creating little, Sevilla would look to create through Banega and exploit the pace of Sandro down the left. Though despite the initial flurry, things would quickly go south through a cruel stroke of luck. An innocuous ball from the left would rebound of Kjaer forcing David Soria into a double reflex save to keep the ball out. Unfortunately for the keeper, his palmed save would rebound off the chest of Guilherme Arana to give Celta the lead. Sevilla would look to respond immediately though a Sandro volley but a stunning save from Sergio would deny the Everton-loanee.

Heading into the break one down, Sevilla had the right to feel aggrieved, though a disastrous second-half would leave no room for complaint. Though Sevilla would be the side to go close first come the restart - Ben Yedder denied by an in-form Sergio – Celta would soon extend the deadlock through former Sevillista Iago Aspas. Finding some space from Lenglet, the prolific striker would finish impressively from a tight angle and give Sevilla a mountain to climb.

Starting the second-half disastrously, the first of an Iago Aspas hat-trick would give Sevilla a mountain to climb

Not three minutes later, he would all but kill the game dead with another goal to add to his tally. Another innocuous cross from the left was misjudged by David Soria, leaving Aspas with a gaping net in front of him; the striker would make no mistake when finding a way past Lenglet to make it three and leaving Sevilla’s players downtrodden and dispirited with half an hour to go.

Though Montella introduced Vázquez for Pizarro to try and give Sevilla more attacking flair, Sevilla were dead and buried, and it wouldn’t be long before Aspas would pile on even more misery. Despite a strong palmed save from Soria to deny another Celta attack, Aspas would be there for the rebound and a dispirited defeat was now a humiliation. Sevilla can now afford zero slip ups if there is any chance of European football next season. A much-improved performance will be needed in the Allianz Arena if another calamity is to be avoided.