Sevilla vs Levante preview - Only a win will do for Emery - 7M sport

Sevilla vs Levante preview - Only a win will do for Emery



Posted Saturday, January 25, 2014 by PA

Unai Emery's Sevilla team are still not in the position he believes they should be in at this stage of the season, and he has told his players only a win at home to Levante this weekend will do.

The Andalusian outfit have not lost a Primera Division game since November 2, but lie two points outside the final Europa League spot and eight adrift of the fourth Champions League berth.

"We are seventh, and not fulfilling our main objective, and only if we beat Levante we will have a points average to be happy with," the coach said at his pre-match press conference.

"Our objective is Europe, but our reference point are Athletic Bilbao.

"Fourth spot is the objective we really set ourselves, but Athletic occupy it and they have eight more points than us at the moment."

The coach did not even seek positives from his team's 1-1 draw at Atletico Madrid last Sunday, when they became only the second team this term to take points off Diego Simeone's side at the Vicente Calderon.

He said: "What we have done thus far is not enough."

One consequence of the hard-fought draw with Atletico is that full-back Alberto Moreno, sent off for a reckless tackle on Raul Garcia in stoppage time, is suspended for the visit of Joaquin Caparros' side.

Fernando Navarro is expected to fill in for the Spain international, while Levante will be without suspended midfielder Sergio Pinto and striker Baba Diawara, on loan from Sevilla and unable to face his parent club due to contractual issues.

Former Sevilla boss Caparros has experienced a bittersweet week, his team pulling off an unexpected 1- 1 draw at home to Barcelona in the league on Sunday only to lose 4-1 to the Catalans three days later in the Copa del Rey.

But he told reporters: "The defeat to Barcelona won't affect our morale. It's a different competition, different players and there's no reason why it should affect us."

And on facing his former club, Caparros said: "It's a special game because I have very special feelings for the club, but I'm a professional and we need the points.

"They are a difficult team, with a magnificent squad full of talent and quality, that are working well, and we'll be playing in a pressurised atmosphere. But we've proved we can perform in similar atmospheres and against teams of a similar quality."



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