Pareja Pizarro Correa Mercado and Banega of Sevilla FC
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SEVEN INTERNATIONALS FIGHTING FOR PLACE AT RUSSIA 2018

30/08/2017
Ondoa of Cameroon and Aburjania of Georgia aim for the same goal, having left Sevilla Atlético for international duty with Spanish U-21s David Carmona and Marc Gual

This Thursday marked the start of international fixtures for representatives of Sevilla. It is a tight schedule that will stretch out until Wednesday the 6th and Thursday the 7th of September, at which point internationals will return to Sevilla to prepare for the league game against SD Eibar.

First to play on the international stage will be Luis Muriel, who at 23:00pm on Thursday (Spanish time) will play the first of his two international fixtures in a World Cup qualifier in San Cristóbal against Venezuela. On the 5th of September at 22:30pm, the Colombians finish their international fixtures by hosting Brazil in the Barranquilla - who are already mathematically guaranteed a place in Russia. Colombia are currently second, but with four games to go are only two points ahead of Argentina in qualification. 
 

Colombia and Argentina will be looking to secure their place in the 2018 World Cup as soon as possible, just as Brazil have done

Also in the CONMEBOL qualification circle, a very "Sevillian" Argentina has only its second to last chance to avoid being one of the biggest absences at the World Cup next summer. Pareja, Mercado, Correa, Banega and Pizarro have been picked by Sampaoli in a squad that also includes Fazio and Lautaro Acosta. Argentina are currently fifth, so have ground to make up in order to secure their place. To do so, they need to win this Friday - at 1:00am Spanish time - against Uruguay in Montevideo then do the same on Thursday the 7th at 1:30 in the morning in Buenos Aires against Venezuela.

However, Sevilla will not only be represented by South American players. In Europe there are two players picked, one in the First-Team and the other in the Sevilla Atlético squad. On Friday at 20:45pm, Denmark captain Simon Kjaer makes his first appearance of the international break in a clash against Group E leaders, Poland. The match will take place in Copenhagen. Then on Monday the 4th a match with even less margin for error in Ereván against Armenia at 18:00pm. Denmark are currently third, on level points with Montenegro and six behind leaders Poland. With that being the case, any setback could put a serious dent in the Scandinavian side's chances of qualifying.   

Kjaer of Denmark and Aburjania of Georgia are the two European full-internationals picked for this international break 

Alongside him, Aburjania's Georgia will play their qualification fixtures without any real chance of qualifying for the World Cup. They sit second to last in Group D with three points, one more than Moldova. This Saturday at 18:00pm they will host joint-leaders Ireland in Tiflis and this Tuesday at 20:45 they travel to Vienna to play Austria. Completing the circle of players looking to win qualification for the World Cup is Fabrice Ondoa, who has a decisive double-clash against Nigeria. On Friday at 18:00 they will play away from home and on the following Monday at 19:00pm they will play at home. Anything less than victory for Cameroon in both matches will leave them with half a foot out the door of the competition.  

Finally, in U-21 competition, Marc Gual and David Carmona debut in two matches of varying demand. On Friday at 19:00pm they will host Italy in a friendly match, then on Tuesday, at 17:15pm, they will play in Tallin against Estonia. Celades' men play the baltic side for the first time in their group, their opponents having picked up one point in their first two matches.