García Pimienta hunts first home win as Sevilla host Villarreal in La Liga
Sevilla host Villarreal on Friday 23 August at 20:30 (GMT+1) at the Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán. Manager García Pimienta is eager to bounce back from a disappointing draw on the opening matchday and claim his first home victory as head coach of the Andalusian club.
Sevilla seek redemption after painful points dropped
Sevilla's start to the season was far from what García Pimienta had envisioned. On the opening matchday, the Rojiblancos took the lead twice against Las Palmas, only to let victory slip through their fingers on both occasions. The match ended 2-2, a result the new coach himself described as 'two points lost'. Adding a bittersweet twist: the opponents were the very club García Pimienta had managed himself just last season. Now comes his first home fixture in charge at Sevilla, and the coach will be desperate for a win to quickly silence any doubts.
Impressive home record gives Sevilla reason for confidence
The statistics favour the hosts. In the last eighteen competitive home matches at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán against Villarreal, Sevilla have claimed no fewer than eleven victories, with five draws and just two defeats. There is a caveat, however: their home form has been inconsistent of late. In their last seven competitive home fixtures, Sevilla won four but also lost three, without registering a single draw. García Pimienta is expected to stick with his familiar 4-3-3 system, with Dodi Lukebakio, Isaac Romero and Lucas Ocampos leading the attack. The injury list is considerable: new signing Sambi Lokonga is out with a hamstring problem, Suso is sidelined with a knee injury, while Marcos Acuña and Joan Jordán are also unavailable.
Villarreal arrive in Sevilla with defensive concerns
The Yellow Submarine also began the 2024-2025 season with a 2-2 draw, this time against Atlético Madrid. Villarreal took the lead twice — through Arnaut Danjuma in the 18th minute and a Koke own goal in the 37th — but were pegged back on both occasions by the Madrilenos. Coach Marcelino considered the point share fair, yet voiced concern over the congested fixture schedule: four matches in less than two weeks place significant physical demands on his squad. Furthermore, Villarreal's defensive fragility remains a structural issue. The club has conceded twelve goals in their last six competitive matches, a worrying run that stretches back to the closing stages of last season. Marcelino also has a historically difficult record against Sevilla, having suffered no fewer than thirteen defeats against the Andalusians — only Barcelona and Real Madrid have beaten him more often. That said, his current side have lost just one of their last six matches, with two wins and three draws. For Villarreal, Juan Foyth, Alfonso Pedraza and Denis Suárez are ruled out through injury. Marcelino is considering his usual 4-4-2 formation, with Arnaut Danjuma and Gerard Moreno leading the line.
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Source: Sportmonks
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