Mendilibar became the third coach to be contracted by Seville this season, after he sacked Julen Lopetegui last October, then his Argentine successor Jorge Sampaoli last week.
Sampaoli did not support his leadership of the team to the quarter-finals of the European League competition “Europa League”, where he will face the English Premier League giant Manchester United, as the club’s worrisome position in the league led to his dismissal, especially after losing to Getafe 0-2 before the international break.
Seville ranks fourteenth, just two points behind the relegation zone, and is equal with 28 points from 26 matches with its rival, Cadiz, who is in fifteenth place.
This season, the Andalusian team was satisfied with seven victories, as well as draws, compared to 12 defeats.
Mandilibar spent a successful period with Eibar in the league between 2015 and 2021, although his second period with him in the 2020-2021 season ended with his relegation to the second division.
Also, the 62-year-old coach was unsuccessful during his leadership of Deportivo Alaves last year and was dismissed from his position after only four months at the helm of his technical management.
The appointment of Mendilibar in Seville drew criticism, most notably from his former sports director, Oscar Arias.
“Mandelibar is not the right coach for a team like Sevilla,” Arias told Radio Marca. “The players don’t know how to play this kind of match, they have a lot of doubts, and it’s a delicate situation.”
The record holder in the number of titles in the European League competition (six times) did not face the danger of relegation to the second degree for many years.
Sevilla was relegated to the second division for the last time in 2000 and returned the following year, and has remained in the league since then.
The last time they finished outside the top seven was in 2013 when they finished ninth, and they have not finished in the second half of the table since returning to the top flight.
“I am convinced that Sevilla are more respected in Europe than they are in La Liga, for what they did in the Europa League, with so many recent trophies,” Mandelbar said.
He added, “Of course (we can survive), with the team we have, the calm we have to have to achieve our goal, and how well we perform.”
Cadiz has avoided relegation in each of the past three seasons since its promotion to the first division in 2020, and it may be difficult for Seville to return with the three match points.
Mandelbar explained, “We do not think about failure, and start with it. That can happen (stumbling in front of Cadiz). They signed a contract with us for the long term, not for one match.”
And he added, “It would be good for us to win tomorrow, above all for the players’ confidence.”
Barcelona to consolidate its leadership
Barcelona seems to have great chances to consolidate its lead when it visits Elche, who is in last place, tomorrow as well.
Barcelona will play tomorrow’s match with its eye on the hot El Clasico against its guest and arch-rivals Real Madrid next Wednesday in the second leg of the King’s Cup semi-final.
The Catalan team is ahead of the Royal Club at the top of the League by 12 points and took a big step towards stripping its rivals when it beat it 2-1 in the twenty-sixth stage before the international break.
Barcelona hopes to overcome the obstacle of its rivals in the cup competition, in its quest for the domestic treble, after leaving empty-handed from the continental competitions, the Champions League and the European League, the “Europa League”.
Barcelona stripped Real Madrid of the Super Cup title earlier this year in Saudi Arabia, and beat it 1-0 in Madrid in the first leg of the King’s Cup.
Attention will be directed to Barcelona midfielder Ansu Fati, whose father admitted on Wednesday that he is disturbed by the way the Catalan club deals with his son and prefers to move to another club.
Bori Fati said in a statement to “Cadena Kobe” radio that his 20-year-old son prefers to stay and succeed with the Catalan giants, after he grew up in the age groups and became popular among the fans since his promotion to the first team.
He added, “It bothers me how they treat Ansu in terms of the number of minutes they give him (on the field), one minute, two minutes, three minutes, and this is what bothers me.”
And he continued, “I will not say that he should start, no matter what happens, because all the strikers are wonderful, they are elite, but we are talking about Ansu Fati. About an international Spanish player, about the number 10 in Barcelona, about a young man coming from (academy) La Masia.”
Fati appears to be a candidate to start against Elche, which is an opportunity for him to get back on track and prove his quality after a difficult start so far.
In turn, Real Madrid is going through a relatively easy test when it hosts Valladolid XVI on Sunday.
The situation of the royal club will not differ from its rivals in terms of focusing on Wednesday’s confrontation in the cup competition, and the victory over Valladolid will be an opportunity to raise morale, erase the effects of losing the League Clasico and prepare for the cup summit.
The stage opens on Friday with Real Mallorca’s meeting with Osasuna, and on Saturday Girona plays with Espanyol, and Athletic Bilbao with Getafe.
The stage will be completed on Sunday with Celta Vigo’s meetings with Almeria, Villarreal with Real Sociedad, and Atletico Madrid with Real Betis, and it will end on Monday with Valencia’s meeting with Rayo Vallecano.