For last season's Europa League winners, qualifying for the Champions League is the number one aim. It will be difficult though, filling the void left by the departed Ivan Rakitic will perhaps be the hardest task. The Croatian was the heartbeat of the side and his move to Barcelona leaves a gaping hole in the Sevilla midfield.

That said, they have purchased well in the transfer market. Gerard Deulofeu and Denis Suarez from Barcelona on loan are the most notable of the arrivals. The former has the capabilites to be one of the best attackers in La Liga however after falling out with staff at Barcelona, Unai Emery is expected to turn around the youngster and get him on the right track.

Other signings worthy of note are Alexi Vidal from Almeria and Ever Banega from Valencia. The latter, who comes with a point to prove, will be expected to fill the position left by Rakitic. While Vidal will hope to impress after getting his chance at a big club.

Another big loss for Sevilla is that of Alberto Moreno, the talented full-back recently joined Liverpool for around £12million after impressing in La Liga over the last few season. They should cope with his loss however, it always appeared to be the inevitable he would move on after earning so many plaudits in La Liga.

The biggest coup for Sevilla this summer was keeping hold of strikers Kevin Gameiro and Carlos Bacca. The pair scored a combined 29 La Liga goals between them, an impressive rate for two newcomers to the league. However again citing the loss of Ivan Rakitic, their goalscoring rates this season will depend on whether the midfield can provide as many assists.

Consistency will be the key for Sevilla this season if they are to qualify for the Champions League. Two spells cost them last season, their poor start where they failed to win a game in their first five and their spell in the winter when they failed to win a single game in six.

Furthermore there is strong argument that their participation in the Europa League hindered their chances of qualfying for Europe's Premier club competition. On route to their victory, Sevilla played 16 matches- a huge total to add to their already gruelling league calendar. If they fail to go far in this season's competition, it could be a blessing in diguise for the Andalusian club.

Sevilla cannot afford to start the season slowly this year, their biggest game of the season arguably comes on the opening day when they face Valencia at the Mestalla. Many experts are tipping Valencia for the final Champions League spot despite their poor placing in La Liga last season, the potential investment from Peter Lim seems like the kickstart Valencia need to get them back near the top. If Sevilla can get a result in their opener, it will signal great intent from them.

VAVEL Logo
About the author