The nailed thorn of Lopetegui

Julen Lopetegui meets again this Sunday with Diego Pablo Simeone. The sevillista coach clings to the last ten days to tie a fourth place that would meet the club's objective in another campaign with more brightness than shadows. But the Basque has a thorn in his stakes against the Argentine coach: They were measured on five occasions and in none of them did they achieve victory. Quite a challenge on the table for the clash of Sánchez Pizjuán and with the rojiblanco team gambling for the league title.

The last duel between the two was in the first round of this league championship. Simeone's slate reigned in the Wanda and Correa and Saúl's hit. That clash separated both teams a little more in that fight for the privilege zone. Neither did Lopetegui find the way to victory last year, although he did put the athletic team in serious trouble. Two draws full of goals and good football.

On the pitch there will be a tactical battle that has already become one of the most anticipated in LaLiga. Both technicians modify drawings and intentions to hunt down the defects of their adversary and that reality will have its weight in the Pizjuán. Not even his gala eleven was enough for Lopetegui last January to beat Simeone's hard-working team.

But perhaps the greatest of the blows received occurred when Lopetegui was defending the Real Madrid bench. Simeone endorsed him a painful 2-4 with extension included in the European Super Cup held in Tallinn. There began a journey of irregularity for the Basque in the white club. He also scored 0-0 in a Madrid derby at the Bernabéu.

Sevilla did not find great results against powerful teams of this League since Lopetegui arrived even though he fought in the heights with them. Whether or not it is an impossible candidacy, the Nervionense team intends to show that it is prepared for a high-flying challenge against Simeone's men.