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The tension in Sánchez Pizjuán grew. Díaz de Mera conceded the goal against Brereton in the 95th minute, on the last play of the game, after what looked like a fight with Kike Salas in the penalty area. The striker gently beat Dmitrovic to make it 1-2. It was probably at that moment that Sevilla’s lawyers began drafting the letter of dismissal for Diego Alonso, a coach who never wins. Prieto Iglesias, VAR referee, notified Díaz de Mera, who went to the monitor. A mournful silence filled the stadium. Díaz de Mera confirmed that Brenton Salas had blocked and canceled the goal. Sevilla, half dead, saved a point.
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Dmitrovic, Nianzou Tanguy Kouassi (Kike Salas, min. 72), Juanlu Sanchez, Gudelj, Marcos Acuña (Adrià Pedrosa, min. 45), Rakitic, Fernando (Óliver Torres, min. 93), Djibril Sow, Lucas Ocampos, Lukebakio and En-Nesyri
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Jorgensen, Juan Foyth, Jorge Cuenca, Albiol, Alfonso Pedraza, Álex Baena, Adrià Altimira (Alberto Moreno, Min. 70), Parejo (Coquelin, Min. 83), Comesaña (Capoue, Min. 70), Gerard Moreno and Morales ( Ben Brereton, at least 87)
Goals 1-0 min 74: Kike Salas. 1-1 min 76: Morales.
referee Isidro Diaz de Mera Escuderos
Yellow cards: Alfonso Pedraza (Min. 45), Djibril Sow (Min. 48), Juanlu Sanchez (Min. 52), Adrià Altimira (Min. 54), Rakitic (Min. 95) and Reina (Min. 97)
In frustration, Villarreal had to settle for a draw. Actually the best thing after what was seen in a very even game in which Sevilla dominated and threw thousands of balls into the penalty area, often in crazy ways. Villarreal countered well and had the virtue of reacting quickly to Kike Salas’ goal. However, he lacked a certain ambition.
Even though Sevilla has been badly affected, the team Marcelino is trying to rehabilitate isn’t exactly one to be happy about either. Things weren’t bad in Nervión, but they weren’t particularly good either. Sevilla have improved a bit, with a lot of enthusiasm, but their football is too easy and the defense collapses at crucial moments. They have now gone nine games between the league and the Champions League without a win. From their last 13 games in all competitions, they have only managed one win in the cup.
A terrible penance inherited from Mendilibar and carried out with Diego Alonso. Sevilla have not won in the league since September 26th (5-1 against Almería). Only the mediocrity of this league means that it has not fallen into a relegation zone, from which they are five points apart until what Celta manages against Cádiz today. A very complicated panorama outside the Champions League. Villarreal is calmer. With his 16 points he is in the lower midfield. It seems he will improve with Marcelino once his players loosen up a bit.
In the 37th minute, the Villarreal coach was a whirlwind on the wing. Full of anger, he told his goalkeeper Jorgensen to delay the shot and stay calm. A gesture that perfectly explained his team’s game, strangely imprecise against a Sevilla that went from less to more but started the game as flan. The environment is not good. Every now and then the fans call for the departure of the current management team consisting of the duo Del Nido junior and José Castro. All on the eve of a meeting that seems tense and where the demands of the company’s largest shareholders collide.
In this environment, Sevilla never wins and their coach Diego Alonso is a statue. Undeterred, he tries to put together the best possible eleven in a group that is plagued by injuries such as Nyland, Navas, Sergio Ramos, Soumaré, Suso, Badé and Lamela and others. Villarreal’s lack of ambition against a severely weakened Sevilla drew attention. Hardly a run forward by Morales with plenty of space was the only attacking baggage of a very slow team that had won the three games it had played with Marcelino in three different competitions but was lacking football. For this reason, and because Nervión is pressing, Sevilla came into the game thanks to the speed of their full-back, the young Juanlu, and a Lukebakio who looked like a tall but fickle footballer.
With a lot of difficulties and without a lot of talent, Sevilla has accumulated some dangerous arrivals at the visitors’ goal. The two best came in the final section of the first act. Jorgensen became the protagonist. He got a dangerous shot from Acuña and then, in extra time, a good shot from En-Nesyri. Foyth blocked Ocampos’ subsequent shot between the posts. Villarreal didn’t shoot once between Dmitrovic’s three posts in a very boring first half. For his part, Marcelino continued to cause a stir in the band.
Sevilla had to make an effort to bring Villarreal into their penalty area. With a rustic style, no football between the lines, it was all about hanging balls off the wing until Kike Salas managed to deflect a great cross from Pedrosa. Villarreal, who had dealt well with some very dangerous approaches from Dmitrovic against Baena, equalized with a goal from Morales as a pure center forward (seven goals in his last three games with Villarreal). Diego Alonso’s team concentrated on attack and were surprised by Brenton’s goal. It was the final blow for a broken team. The VAR warned and the debacle was still ongoing.
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