In their last match on matchday two, Mikel Arteta's team faced a 2-1 loss against Lens, while Sevilla and PSV Eindhoven played out an exciting 2-2 draw. The man responsible for Sevilla's recent Europa League success, Jose Luis Mendilibar, has parted ways with the club after a series of disappointing domestic results.
Diego Alonso, the former Uruguay manager, took over as Sevilla's new head coach. In his first game in charge, Sevilla held Real Madrid to a well-deserved 1-1 draw, with David Alaba's own goal putting Sevilla ahead, but Dani Carvajal equalized shortly after. Despite the script seeming to favor Sergio Ramos scoring the winner against his former club, Kepa Arrizabalaga and the woodwork denied him.
Sevilla's recent performances include a string of draws, including their previous Champions League match where they let a one-goal lead slip away to PSV Eindhoven, resulting in a 2-2 draw. So far this season, only Las Palmas and Almeria have managed to defeat Sevilla.
However, it's worth noting that both of these losses occurred at home. Sevilla has the opportunity to secure just their third win in 17 European elite competition matches on their home turf.
In their recent match against Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, the focus was initially on the reunion of Mauricio Pochettino and Mikel Arteta. However, the unexpected headline was Mykhaylo Mudryk, a player Arsenal pursued relentlessly in January, nearly causing his former admirers a surprising defeat with an unusual goal.
Despite being behind after Cole Palmer's first-half penalty, Arsenal managed to salvage a point as they mounted a late comeback. Arsenal's Robert Sanchez almost caused an embarrassing own goal with a wayward pass to Declan Rice, who scored from long range, and Leandro Trossard, brought in as an alternative to Mudryk, equalized in the 85th minute.
Arsenal's recent performance has been a rollercoaster, with victories over Manchester City but a loss in the Champions League away to Lens, which dropped them to second place in Group A after their earlier 4-0 victory over PSV.
Now, Arsenal is on a mission to secure their first away win in a Champions League game since December 2016, when they defeated Basel 4-1 under Arsene Wenger's management. Wenger was also at the helm during Arsenal's two previous encounters with Sevilla in 2007.
The Gunners won 3-0 at their Emirates Stadium, but Sevilla got their revenge with a 3-1 victory at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, and both teams progressed to the knockout rounds.
INJURIES & SUSPENSION
Sevilla's new head coach, Alonso, has taken over a team with very few injury concerns left by Mendilibar. For their upcoming match, the only players missing are goalkeeper Alfonso Pastor, dealing with a knee issue, and striker Mariano Diaz, who has a thigh problem. However, it's worth noting that neither of these players would likely have been in the starting lineup.Alonso mentioned that Youssef En-Nesyri, a key player for Sevilla, had to be substituted late in their match against Real Madrid due to fatigue. Fortunately, it seems this was only a temporary issue, and En-Nesyri is expected to be back in action for the upcoming game.
In case En-Nesyri needs a break, Rafa Mir is available as a backup option. Boubakary Soumare, who received praise from Alonso for his performance against Real Madrid, may retain his position in the midfield.
As for Arsenal, their only missing player in their previous match against Chelsea was a backup goalkeeper, Aaron Ramsdale, who was tending to a family matter while David Raya had an unexpectedly challenging time in goal. Ramsdale is set to return for the upcoming game. The only other absentee is Jurrien Timber due to an ACL injury. Although there may be calls for Ramsdale to return to the starting lineup, it's likely that Arteta will stick with Raya.
However, there are options for changes in the midfield, with Thomas Partey and Kai Havertz competing for a spot, possibly replacing Jorginho. While Gabriel Jesus had a tough time making an impact in the last match, he is expected to maintain his position and fend off competition from Eddie Nketiah.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Sevilla possible starting lineup:Nyland; Navas, Gudelj, Ramos, Acuna; Sow, Soumare, Rakitic; Lukebakio, En-Nesyri, Ocampos
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko; Odegaard, Rice, Partey; Saka, Jesus, Martinelli
EXPERT PREDICTION
Sevilla 1-2 Arsena
We can expect another closely contested match, much like what we saw at Stamford Bridge. In such tense situations, the impact of substitutes could be pivotal for Arsenal. However, if Arsenal replicates their first-half performance against Chelsea, it may be challenging to maintain those hopes of a successful outcome.
