Karim Rekik once again delivered with flying colors against Elche, the Dutchman’s second consecutive game as a central defender alongside Diego Carlos and another clean sheet for a Sevilla that at least in this aspect did not miss a Koundé who came out on the side against the Alicante team. Rekik quietly arrived in Nervión in the summer of 2020, he played more as a left back than in his natural position during his debut campaign and was labeled with that nebulous qualifier of ‘compliant’. He’s already earned a few more gallons.
Because in addition to leaving very good feelings on the field, the numbers also support Rekik in terms of his individual and collective performance. Karim has so far played 15 LaLiga games for Sevilla this season and hasn’t lost any of them. It is the one with the best records in this section, above the madridista Carvajal, who has not added losses in 14.
With the one on Friday against Elche, the Dutch center-back has nine wins and six draws in those 15 league games in which he has participated. At 27 years old and with a contract at Nervión until 2025, Rekik does not add the praise of other fellow defenders such as Diego Carlos, Koundé or Acuña, but he has become a talisman for this Sevilla. He has also given two assists in LaLiga.
Last season, Rekik played almost always as a left-back and got used to closing his flank almost always. He acted on a few occasions as a central defender and Sevilla did fall in two of those games, in Nervión against Barcelona and against Elche away from home. With even more confidence from Lopetegui, the Dutch footballer also establishes himself as a defender.