Sevilla vs Barcelona Predictions & Match Preview

Sevilla vs Barcelona predictions and match preview for Saturday’s LaLiga fixture. Read on for analysis, team news and predicted lineups as the Catalan giants head to the Andalusian capital.

Sevilla vs Barcelona Preview

Barcelona travel to the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan this weekend. Under ordinary circumstances this is usually a game where the Catalans expect a tough test but it’s hard to fancy an out of sorts Sevilla right now with Julen Lopetegui’s side having made a really poor start to the season.

They’ve had a really poor summer too in truth and for once it does feel reasonable to question Sporting Director Monchi. They knew they were going to lose key players but unlike in previous years, there was no ready-made replacement sorted well in advance of the season and that has left Lopetegui with defensive issues in the opening few games and they remain without Marcao, the most experienced of their new centre-backs, here with the Brazilian still injured.

Sevilla fans voiced their anger at the end of the loss to Almeria last week and it is just one point from three games that on paper shouldn’t have posed too much trouble for Sevilla in normal circumstances. They added Kasper Dolberg and Andan Januzaj to their squad this week but somewhat surprisingly let winger Lucas Ocampos join Ajax on loan and in truth it doesn’t feel like they’ve really done enough. With Manchester City visiting Seville after this one, you do fear for Lopetegui and what the reaction may be if they do lose both of these games which right now seems very likely.

As for Barcelona, they’ve had a pretty extraordinary summer with the new faces continuing to arrive this week as full-backs Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso completed deadline day moves to further bolster the squad. Xavi has certainly been heavily backed in the transfer market to the surprise of many outside of Catalonia, but with that comes an added pressure and expectation that his side delivers on the pitch in both domestic and European competition this summer.

So far the signs are quite positive. Barcelona have scored four in each of their last two league matches and Robert Lewandowski has fitted straight into the team and already looks like a player who will score a lot of goals this season. Barça weren’t really tested in the demolition of Real Valladolid last weekend but they did the business in a tricky game in Donostia a fortnight ago and the sheer amount of quality players they could potentially leave on the bench this season gives them so many options when it comes to trying to change the course of games that aren’t necessarily going to plan.

Team News & Possible Lineups

Sevilla

Possible XI: Bono – Acuna, Gudelj, Nianzou, Navas – Oliver, Fernando, Jordan – Lamela, Mir, Gomez (4-3-3)

Coach: Julen Lopetegui

Barcelona

Possible XI: Ter Stegen – Balde, Christensen, Araujo, Kounde – Pedri, Busquets, Gavi – Raphinha, Lewandowski, Dembele (4-3-3)

Coach: Xavi

Score Prediction: Sevilla 1-3 Barcelona

Sevilla look like a team low on confidence and one with some significant defensive problems right now. Robert Lewandowski is not really the striker you want to be up against in that situation and it’s just hard to look past Barcelona in this game with Sevilla far from their usual levels right now.

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