Page 41 - Soccer360 Issue 105

2023-24
SINKING SEVILLA
Sevilla have enjoyed an unprecedented level of dominance in the Europa League since the turn of the 21st century, but have failed to make the grade this season. Michelle Osei Bonsu analyses what went wrong for the club and what it means for the remainder of this season’s tournament.
For a number of years now, Sevilla have been heralded as the “Kings of the Europa League”, and with very good reason. Seemingly out of nowhere, the club burst onto the scene in 2006 when they beat Middlesbrough to win the UEFA Cup, and became the first team to win back-to-back titles when they successfully defended their crown the following year.
The tournament was eventually
rebranded in its current format in 2009,
and between 2014 and 2023, Sevilla
would go on to make more history. They
were the first team to win three on the
trot - en route to adding some fiUvEeFAmhaosre
KEY DATES
ROUND OF 16
SECOND LEG
Mar 5-6, 12-13, 2024
QUARTER FINALS
& SEMI FINALS
DRAW
March 15, 2024
QUARTER FINALS
FIRST LEG
April 9 - 10, 2024
QUARTER FINALS
SECOND LEG
April 16 - 17, 2024
April 30 - May 1, 2024
May 7-8, 2024
FINALS
June 1, 2024
at Wembley Stadium, London
titles for a remarkable grand total of
seven in less than two decades. Three of
won the them came via penalty shootoutvse,ryjufisrstt to
SEMI FINALS
underline that it felt like their name was
Every time Sevilla featured in a Europa League final, they won it. But now, they will not have that chance - because they are not only not featuring in their favourite competition, but are out of Europe entirely.
Often Sevilla dropped into the Europa League and went all the way after finishing third in their Champions League group, but that will not be happening this season, and may not
be happening during the next one either. Placed alongside Arsenal, Lens, and PSV Eindhoven, Sevilla started
their Champions League group stage campaign off well, with back-to-back draws. But their form in Europe soon began to resemble their poor showing in La Liga, and they ended bottom of their group. It seems unthinkable, but Los Hispalenses are also facing a real battle to avoid relegation, so qualification
for any sort of European football
via placement in La Liga is looking impossible, too. So, what has gone wrong? Well, arguably it is their Europa League success that has helped to hide some of the problems the club have been facing for a while. Sevilla finished in 12th spot last season yet won the Europa League for the seventh time. They have had a merry-go-round of managers for the past few seasons, and age is not on their side. Their starting XI against PSV averaged 32 years and 19 days - the oldest ever in Champions League history, and in La Liga, the starting XI average age is also over 30.
All in all, Sevilla’s early exit means that there are new opportunities for a slew of sides in the Europa League, with there already guaranteed to be a first-time winner of the competition since the 2009 rebrand.
League Cup permanently etched on the trophyin. 1955
come a long
way since Real Madrid
Champions
FIRST LEG
“SEVILLA’S NAME
SEMI FINALS
SECOND LEG
WILL NOT BE ON THE
EUROPA LEAGUE
TROPHY IN 2024”
ABOVE:
Captain Sergio Ramos of Sevilla FC reacts.
LEFT:
Sergio Ramos, Fernando Reges of Sevilla FC during the UEFA Champions League match, Group B, between Sevilla FC and RC Lens
The DFB-Pokal has proven to be a bit of
a stumbling block for Bayern as well. Die Roten have not won the cup since the 2019- 20 season, and since then, have crashed
out much earlier than expected. Add in
their heavy 3-0 defeat to RB Leipzig in
this season’s DFL-Supercup and Bayern Munich are actually looking at the possibility of finishing this term sans any domestic silverware.
It is a shocking thought, to say the least, especially given a club of this stature.
But what about the Champions League? Well, Bayern largely cruised through their group stage campaign, which given their opponents - Galatasaray, FC Copenhagen, and a Manchester United side still in transition - was hardly a surprise. As a result, die Roten received what many judged to be a favourable draw in the round of 16, with Lazio standing in between them and the
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