Football Season Guide

Last year turned into a glorious season for Sevilla, as they won the Europa League and, with it, Champions League qualification. But, it didn’t look that way for most of the campaign. After sacking both Julen Lopetegui and Jorge Sampaoli, veteran Spanish coach Jose Luis Mendilibar took over in March with Sevilla at risk of relegation but still in the Europa League. He immediately improved the team by scrapping the complicated tactics of his predecessors and going back to basics. Mendilibar moved Sevilla away from the relegation zone quickly, and then saw off Manchester United and Juventus to reach the Europa League final, which Sevilla won against Roma on penalties. That means they’re into the Champions League again, but they’ll need to improve the squad significantly to compete at the highest level. That’s easier said than done, given that legendary sporting director Monchi has departed the club this summer. Former Leeds sporting director Victor Orta has taken over at Sevilla, but he is playing catch-up and left-back Adria Pedrosa is the only addition so far who isn’t a returnee. Mendilibar’s no-nonsense approach means Sevilla will be well-drilled and they should keep things simple with a 4-2-3-1. That could be viewed as a strength or a weakness, depending on what way you look at it. Either way, Sevilla need more reinforcements before the transfer window closes.