SEVILLA FC KICK OFF THEIR CAMPAIGN IN THE RCDE STADIUM, THE AWAY GROUND WHERE THEY HAVE WON MOST

Everything's ready. After a month and a half of pre-season, when the Julen Lopetegui outfit started to put the work in at the beginning of July, today officially marks the start of the 2019/20 season for Sevilla FC. The team touched down in Barcelona yesterday evening and stayed concentrated in the 'Ciudad Condal', where at 19.00 this evening, LaLiga will begin against for Sevilla FC against Espanyol. In eight of the last nine first matchdays of the league season, Sevilla are unbeaten: winning five and drawing three.

In fact, against RCD Espanyol, Sevilla FC have played against them in three of the last four seasons in the opening round of fixtures, with Jorge Sampaoli, Eduardo Berizzo and on this occasion, Julen Lopetegui. Overall, with four meetings against the Catalan outfit in the opening round of fixtures, Sevilla FC have recorded three victories and a draw, a statistic that we hope to improve on this evening in the RCDE Stadium.

Espanyol will host Sevilla FC after having already played in four competitive matches in the first two preliminary rounds of the UEL

The team managed by David Gallego, the new coach, host Sevilla FC with already having played four competitive matches this season, and they find themselves in the middle of qualifying for the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, just like Sevilla FC did last season. They went through the first two rounds against the Icelandic team, Stjarnan, and against the Swiss outfit Lucerna. In the last qualifying round they play Ukrainian team, Zorya, the last step before qualifying for the group stages. 

Espanyol, who recently lost striker Borja Iglesias to Real Betis, have strengthened their squad with three players from their reserve team: Adriá Pedrosa, Lluis López and Pol Lozano. In addition, they have brought in a familiar name to the Sevilla faithful, Bernardo, coming from Girona, as well as Iturraspe from Athletic and their big gamble, Matías Vargas, the centre-forward signed from Vélez Sarfield

Espanyol host Sevilla FC without Borja Iglesias, but with a lot of faith in their new signing, Matías Vargas

On the other side, a piece of information to take on-board before the start of the season; in LaLiga, Sevilla FC have won more times against Espanyol than any other team: both overall, 69 victories, and away from home, 19 victories. However, statistics would also tend to favour Espanyol as the last three times that they have began their league campaign at home, since 2007, they have started with a win.

Regardless of the statistics, the Sevilla FC manager warned in the press conference before the clash that they will have to give it their all if they are to beat the Catalans, being very aware that preparation has been quite good and has put them in good shape to be at their strongest to get the three points in the opening game of the 2019/20 season.

The match will take place in the RCDE Stadium at 19.00 this Sunday, 18th August.