Sevilla and Mönchengladbach break new ground
Monday, September 14, 2015
Article summary
Unai Emery is thrilled to lead UEFA Europa League winners Sevilla in his first UEFA Champions League campaign as they welcome newcomers Borussia Mönchengladbach.
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Article body
- Unai Emery thrilled to manage Sevilla for first time in UEFA Champions League
- Coach confirms Sergio Rico will replace injured goalkeeper Beto
- Mönchengladbach back in European Cup for first time since 1978
- Lucien Favre's team have started campaign with four Bundesliga defeats for first time
- Sevilla are also four games without a win this season
Possible lineups
Sevilla: Rico; Coke, Krychowiak, Kolodziejczak, Trémoulinas; Krohn-Dehli, Iborra; Reyes, Banega, Konoplyanka; Llorente.
Out: Beto (knee), Pareja (knee), Carriço (hamstring), Rami (adductor)
Doubtful: Kakuta (back)
Mönchengladbach: Sommer; Korb, Brouwers, Jantschke, Wendt; Nordtveit, Stindl; Traoré, Hazard; Hahn, Raffael.
Out: Domínguez (back), Stranzl (eye socket), Johnson (calf), Herrmann (knee), Xhaka (suspended)
Unai Emery, Sevilla coach
All the players are important, whether injured or available. Beto has a knee injury but his replacement Sergio Rico took a big step forward last season. We trust him, he is going to play tomorrow. We have needed a bedding-in period, as in previous seasons. For example, last year journalists asked me about Aleix Vidal's performances to start with, and he had a brilliant campaign in the end.
We always want to improve – when I came to Sevilla my goal was to be in the Champions League, and now I have got here I want to go as far as possible in this competition. To play at home is special – it is our home, our sanctuary – so to play at home is something more than just a football match. Mönchengladbach also have important players missing but they have good players to replace them.
Lucien Favre, Mönchengladbach coach
The Champions League demands a double effort from us this season. The speed of the game is greater than in the Bundesliga so we need to be on our game. Maybe our confidence has taken a knock after our run of defeats but we are professionals and the players need to show their mettle.
We saw how good Sevilla are a few months ago in the Europa League. Now they have the likes of Fernando Llorente, Steven N'Zonzi and Yevhen Konoplyanka too, so they demand respect. We have to accept that it is going to be hard, keep our focus and defend very well.
Weekend results
Levante 1-1 Sevilla (Camarasa 58; N'Zonzi 12)
Sevilla are still searching for their first Liga win of the campaign after three matches.
Mönchengladbach 0-3 Hamburg (Lasogga 11 44, Müller 52)
Mönchengladbach have lost all four league games this season and are bottom of the Bundesliga.
Form guide (all competitions, most recent first)*
Sevilla: DLDL
Mönchengladbach: LLLLW
*This season only
Reporter's view: Nick Aitken (@UEFAcomNickA)
Overcome by Barcelona in the UEFA Super Cup and unconvincing in Liga action, Emery's much-changed squad will look to kick-start their campaign with victory against Mönchengladbach. Yet the visitors, defeated home and away by Sevilla in last season's Europa League and beaten in all four Bundesliga matches this term, are equally in need of a fillip.
Did you know?
Sevilla got the better of Mönchengladbach en route to winning last season's UEFA Europa League; find out the history between the sides in our match background.