Sevilla and Mallorca, who were pitted against Mexicans Jess ‘Tecatito’ Corona and Javier Aguirre, drew 0-0 at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, leaving neither side satisfied.
Tecatito was hoping for a win that would mathematically cement their qualifying for the
Champions League, which they are now one point away from.
Those of Aguirre, on the other hand, required all three to avoid relegation,
at least temporarily.
Both sides will be forced to play it in the final two days due to Lopetegui’s team’s lack of
ideas, which has reached the closing stretch of the season with very little fuel, and Javier
Aguirre’s team’s troubles seeing the door, which has Muriqi as their only attacking weapon.
Regardless of what Betis achieves, a draw will suffice for Sevilla. It will be more tough for
Mallorca, which is two, three, or five points away from relegation. Although the point could
be crucial in his struggle to stay in the First Division in the long run.
The intended start script
The two sides’ strategy was obvious from the start. With their customary bombardment of
lateral centers, Lopetegui’s players attempted to dominate the game, seal Mallorca in their
area, and look for the goal. When Aguirre’s team succeeded to grab a ball in midfield, they
defended quite near to their goal, accumulating several players behind the ball to block
holes and attempting to go on the counterattack.
The Nervionenses’ repetitious football, aiming for balls into the area from the sides, ran into
a Mallorca defense that was gradually becoming more comfortable. The first great
opportunity for Aguirre’s men arrived, with several whistles in the stands due to a lack of
movement and ideas. Muriqi intercepted the ball in midfield, went uncontested and set up
Battaglia, whose shot from the edge of the box was cleared by Bono.
Sevilla retaliated with a spur shot from Jordán from a Papu cross that went wide, as well as a
double effort from Koundé, a volley, and Tecatito Corona, a Chilean, who crashed into the
visitor defense. Mallorca also couldn’t figure out how to solve a few of Muriqi-led cons.
Thus, the first 45 minutes ended goalless, thanks to a header from ngel and another from
Diego Carlos for Sevilla in added time.
Mallorca vs Sevilla: Carousel of fouls and cards after the break
Things did not change much after passing past the changing rooms. Vasco Aguirre’s side
tried everything they could to secure their goal and extend the game, hoping to land the
fatal blow in the closing stretch. Sevilla, although increasing its pressure and deploying
more men in the box, was unable to produce clean shooting opportunities to break the
deadlock.
From the sidelines, Lopetegui couldn’t see it clearly, so he quickly moved the bench, bringing on En-Nesyri and Delaney. It wasn’t for nothing: his team’s first chance between the three sticks in the second half came at 57′, and it was a long-range free kick from Diego Carlos that Reina stopped excellently after a rebound. The anxieties began to reach the stands because there was no movement.
Even more so after Vedat Muriqi managed to finish off with a header after winning the place of the entire Nervionense defense in a throw-in by Brian Oliván, forcing Bono to shoot reflexes to avoid the 0-1. A very evident occasion to which the Sevilla bench responded with more substitutions that enhanced the Nervionenses’ intensity and verticality, but not their shot success.
