Match Pack: Sevilla FC vs Athletic Club (LaLiga MD19)

After a two-week long festive break, Athletic Club return to LaLiga action with a classic fixture as they travel to Andalusia to face Sevilla FC.

The Lions will need to be at their best. With Sevilla in 15th place on 16 points (two above the drop zone), new head coach Quique Sánchez Flores will be desperate for his side to start climbing away from a potential relegation battle.

Meanwhile, the Zurigorri will be looking to pick up where they left off in 2023 by extending their eight-match unbeaten streak in the league.

Match Info
Sevilla FC vs Athletic Club

Estadio Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, Seville

LaLiga EA Sports 23/24 (Matchday 19)

Thursday January 4, 19:15 CET

How to Watch
A complete TV guide with global channels and kick-off times for the fixture.

Team News
Valverde named a 23-man squad for the clash in Seville

Yeray Álvarez and Dani García remain sidelined, while Iñaki Williams is away on international duty with Ghana.

Oscar de Marcos and Iñigo Ruiz de Galarreta have recovered from their respective injuries and are back in the fold, and young Bilbao Athletic midfielder Mikel Jauregizar keeps his place in the squad.

Valverde's Comments
The gaffer wants his side to turn "needing to win into a habit" as the Lions get set to face a new-look Sevilla under Quique Sánchez Flores.

Catch-up with with what Ernesto had to say at his pre-match press conference.

The Opponents

Head coach: Quique Sánchez Flores

Sevilla have turned to a season operator in Sánchez Flores - the club's third manager of the season - as they look to revive their campaign. 

The former Valencia and Real Madrid player, has worked at a number of top clubs in several different leagues since he took his first job, at Getafe, in 2004/05. In total he has now led five different LaLiga clubs, including three seperate spells with Getafe.

His managerial honours include a Europa League and a UEFA Super Cup at Atlético Madrid as well as a Portugues League Cup with Benfica.

Top goalscorer: Youssef En-Nesyri

The Moroccan forward is now in his fifth season at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán. He joined Sevilla from Leganés halfway through the 2019/20 campaign and has gone on to score 40 goals in 127 LaLiga appearances.

En-Nesyri has stood out for Morocco at international level, famously scoring a winner against Portugal to help the Atlas Lions reach the semi-finals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Recent form: DLLWL

Just three wins from the first half of the season have left Sevilla in 16th place, only three points above the relegation places. A previous change of manager didn't provide the boost hoped for, but Sánchez Flores' first two games in charge have seen the Andalusians beat Granada 0-3 away and lose 1-0 to Atlético Madrid in their rescheduled Matchday 4 fixture.

Previous Meetings
We've faced the Andalusian outft a total of 158 times in LaLiga, registering 61 wins, 31 draws and 66 losses. The first ever top-flight meeting was a 4-0 victory for the Lions back in the 1934/35 campaign.

Away days in Seville tend to be tough for the Zurigorri. From 79 LaLiga visits to the Andalusian city, Athletic have picked up 11 victories, 21 wins and 47 defeats.

Our last five trips to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán are indicative of how difficult these clashes can be, with one win, two draws and two losses.

Los Rojiblancos' most recent win in Seville came two seasons ago. Iñaki Williams made sure the Lions took all three points with a 90th-minute goal.