Preview
Midfielder Antonio Alvarez `Ito' is hoping to make a successful
return to Seville with his new club Espanyol this weekend.
Alvarez spent six years playing for Sevilla's bitter city rivals
Real Betis but has never been on the winning team against Joaquin
Caparros.
``It would be superb to break this bad run on Sunday,'' he said.
``To win is always important and at the moment we are both doing
well at the top of the table.
``Now I have moved from Betis but it is still special for me to
play against Sevilla and although it is not worrying that I have
not won against them, it is a coincidence that I would like to
change.''
Ito is expecting a tough match at the Sanchez Pizjuan and admits he
is likely to receive a less than friendly reception from the home
fans. ``When two teams have a rivalry like in Seville this often
happens,'' he said.
``It is not going to be an easy game for Espanyol, all games are
different and this is going to be a complicated one, especially as
Sevilla have picked up a lot of points at home.
``We will have to play as we have so far, if not better.'' Coach
Miguel Angel Lotina has admitted that third-placed Espanyol cannot
afford to get carried away despite their excellent start to the
season, and also acknowledges they are unlikely to finish the
season in the top four.
``I don't want to break the dreams of the people but the team needs
to go on winning week in week out and the idea of us qualifying for
the Champions League is a dream,'' he said.
``A lot depends on injuries but we also need to be realistic and
have clear our real objective which is to fight, do things well and
to stay in the top flight for another year.
``We are doing better than the last two years because we are
conceding fewer goals. ``All the players know how to work
defensively together, when we don't have the ball we defend and we
are all together.''
Espanyol have achieved their success this season without Raul
Tamudo and Ivan de la Pena, who were key players during the last
campaign.
Both played an integral part in the Catalan side's survival, which
was ensured in the final game of the season, but Tamudo did not
start this year with his usual sharpness and is currently out with
a thigh strain.
De la Pena started on the bench against Santander and Lotina
insists he needs to learn to defend better.
Sevilla, meanwhile, undid some of their good work this season by
losing to then- bottom side Numancia last weekend.
But Joaquin Caparros's charges are still sitting in sixth position
and they are likely to be able to call on Ariza Makukula against
Espanyol.
Makukula has been out of action for the last eight months with a
serious knee injury but should return this weekend.