To Europe and back in 237 seconds
Sevilla stumble sensationally on Semana Santa to prolong an uncertain season...
For eight glorious minutes in Seville, the season looked back on track.
Marcos Acuña had just rifled home from 30 yards, and José Luis Mendilibar’s men were 2-0 up. Despite playing over 60 minutes with 10 men, they kept their opponents at arms length, chose their moments, and looked to have a tricky game over high-flying Celta won, without fuss, and in style.
A quick look at the table even aroused vague hopes of Europe. Just three points from seventh, which would become a Conference League spot if Real Madrid won the Copa, a disastrous season suddenly felt faintly exciting, as if something could be salvaged from the ruins.
But then they imploded. Again.
Conceding in the 89th, then the 93rd minute, reduced to nine men in the numb aftermath, Sevilla have been sucked back in.
First, it was 19-year-old debutant Miguel Rodríguez who side footed in off the post, and then Gonçalo Paciência with a tantalising, looped header, to extend Celta’s unbeaten run to seven. As the stadium threw up its arms in disgust, the exasperation spilled over into post-match and beyond.
“La Liga is one of the best leagues in the world,” fumed Fernando at the full-time whistle, “but there are things that I don’t understand.”
“How can the Premier League see 28 red cards all season, but La Liga over 100. Something strange is happening, something is up.”
Indeed, Pape Gueye’s 18th-minute dismissal felt harsh. Two fouls, two cards – with absolutely no mercy shown by referee Valentín Pizarro Gómez, who sent off two players in the same game for the fourth time this season, in just 14 games.
The fact that the Senegalese’s red was only the fifth quickest sending off of the La Liga season, certainly points to a growing issue with card-happy referees.
Away from the officiating, Sevilla must ensure that their late collapse doesn’t overshadow a generally encouraging performance.
Compact, organised and tenacious off the ball, Mendilibar’s men allowed their numerically superior visitors 78% of the ball in the second half, yet looked relatively comfortable throughout.
With Youssef En-Nesyri relentlessly running the channels, always looking to provide that pressure-relieving out-ball, and Bryan Gil driving at defenders and chipping in defensively, the hosts were probably unfortunate to concede from the two relatively low-quality chances that they did give up.
Celta, on the other hand, sorely missed the quality of Gabri Veiga in the middle of the park, whose driving, penetrative runs help to bring the play closer to an isolated Iago Aspas.
With Europe still in sight, a win against Mallorca next weekend will keep them right in the mix.
Ultimately, though, it was a crazy game that solved very little in the context of the season.
Sevilla should be safe. But as long as they continue to swing from sublime to ridiculous, there are few better at throwing away points.
Valencia at Mestalla next weekend. Now that could be very tasty indeed.