 |
|
UEFA Cup Round 1 Preview: Sevilla v Mainz [Thu Sep 15th, 2005]
Juande Ramos will be looking to shed injury miseries with a convincing victory over the struggling Bundesliga outfit.
BACKGROUND
Losing world-class new signing Javier Saviola for three weeks was a kick in the teeth for the coach, especially at the beginning of the season when new arrivals and rustiness can make scoring goals far easier in theory than practice.
Then, facing up to the realisation that giant centre forward Ariza Makukula, quite tragically, could be out for the entire season after receiving another operation must have felt like something smelly was hitting the fan before the post Baptista/Sergio Ramos campaign had even got started. Poor Ariza has barely played for his ‘new’ club since signing in the summer of 2004.
If it is any consolation for Sevilla, who came within a whisker of making the UEFA Champions League through last season’s fine results, they shouldn’t have much trouble with a Mainz side who’ve endured a terrible start. On the domestic front, four games, one goal and zero points is the ignominious record, while their hosts have had a solid opening with 4 secured notched after two matches.
This fixture should see another new forward at the Estadio Ramon Pizjuan, Brazilian Luis Fabiano, unleashed for the first time in the red and white, and Sevilla will surely be aware of their capacity to end this contest in the first leg.
The latter, together with the likes of Fredi Kanoute and the highly talented Adriano Correia, will be looking to wreak havoc on a suspect defence.
The hosts have an opportunity to really find their form, at the expense of the seemingly hapless visitors.
John Rowlands
News headlines from around the world.