Sevilla striker Freddie Kanoute is relishing the chance to lock
horns with former rivals Arsenal when the Premier League leaders
visit the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan tonight.
Kanoute has faced the Gunners on numerous occasions - having spent
five years in England playing for West Ham and Tottenham, and the
Mali international has vivid memories of clashes with Arsene
Wenger's side.
'I am looking forward to playing against Arsenal, because I have
played at Tottenham - and they have also been passionate games,' he
recalled.
'That is a very fierce derby, and I hope to be able to show
(tonight) that we can win.'
Kanoute is likely to come up against Ivory Coast international Kolo
Toure - a player he could become well-acquainted with over the next
few months.
'He is a very strong and good defender. We will also face each
other in the African Cup of Nations, because we are in the same
group,' said the 30-year-old.
Kanoute was closely linked with a move back to the Premier League
this summer, and similar suggestions have resurfaced since former
Sevilla coach Juande Ramos moved to Spurs.
But he said: 'I am not thinking about playing in England again,
only about Sevilla.'
Sevilla have a chance to replace unbeaten leaders Arsenal at the
top of Champions League Group H, with just one point separating the
sides.
Two-time and reigning UEFA Cup champions Sevilla cannot be
considered favourites, because they lost 3-0 to Arsenal in the
first meeting and have also been defeated in their last two Primera
Liga matches.
The latest setback came against Real Mallorca at home on Saturday,
but Kanoute is confident that result and performance will have no
bearing on tonight's team.
'Right now I'm not thinking about the past - neither the 3-0 in
London nor the result against Mallorca,' he said.
'I only have tremendous desire to show that we are not the team
that we saw two days ago, because that was not the true face of
Sevilla. I only hope that we play how we know we can.
'We are not down at all. We are eager to erase what happened the
other day. I see a lot of desire in the team. This is a new game,
and we already know that Sevilla always turn up when they have an
important game.
'I don't think that against Arsenal we will be lacking
motivation.
'We need to start like against Real Madrid or Valencia. Against
good teams we have to press our opponents much more than, for
example, two days ago.'
