“I fall and I don’t die”, that was the enigmatic message that Youssef En-Nesyri left on social networks, accompanied by a winking emoticon. This is how the Sevilla striker reacted just after spending another 45 minutes without seeing the door, or even getting close, after starting against Granada. Lopetegui he changed him for Rafa Mir and the Murcian not only made it 3-2, is that before he had scored another goal canceled by the VAR.
That falling and not dying could become a great allegory for the visit of Real Madrid next Sunday, which will be Resurrection to end this Holy Week. En-Nesyri barely accumulates hat trick in 23 matches between LaLiga, the Champions League and the Europa League, but all those goals came early in the season. Since he scored against Espanyol in September, the Moroccan has gone empty against Osasuna, Lille and Barça, in 2021, and against the Navarrese, Elche, both against Dinamo Zagrebthe parakeets, Betis, Alavés, the double duel against West Ham, Rayo, Real Sociedad, Barcelona again and Granada.
He scored with Morocco in the Africa Cup, but with Sevilla he hasn’t seen a door for more than six months, although almost three due to injury must be included and another in that national team championship. Curiously, before the match against Granada En-Nesyri had received a plaque for his 100 official matches as a Nervionense, 101 already after acting against the Nasrids.
La Liga Santander
*Data updated as of April 12, 2022
It is not the first serious pothole for En-Nesyri in Nervión. The striker, who turns 25 in June, went through another tremendous slump in September 2020, when after months of criticism of his performance he failed in the last moment of the European Super Cup against Bayern the goal that would have given Sevilla the title, in Budapest. Manuel Neuer guessed the trajectory and Monchi did therapy with the footballer so that that campaign, 2020-21, would end it with 24 goals in all competitions and a millionaire offer from West Ham.
But Youssef preferred to stay. Now that he is getting back into shape, he hopes to get back on the scoring path sooner rather than later. At the moment it will have the best possible showcase, that of Real Madrid, although it remains to be seen if Lopetegui He decides to put him back as a starter. If this does not happen, he hopes to ‘resurrect’ from the bench.