Sevilla manager Luis Garcia Plaza has admitted that his side faces a daunting challenge against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, pointing to their remarkable 18-year wait for an away victory while insisting his players will travel with belief.
Speaking ahead of the La Liga fixture, Garcia Plaza acknowledged that Sevilla would arrive in difficult circumstances, with several players unavailable or doubtful.
However, the manager remains determined to preserve the competitive spirit his team has shown since the beginning of the campaign.
“The team dispelled all doubts against Levante, because we dropped two points there. The Real Madrid match is the one we’re going into in the worst shape.
“We’re without Isaac, Miguel Sierra and Guridi, and Kochorashvili is a doubt.
“We’re going to keep competing and try to maintain the same momentum we’ve had since the start. Hopefully we can turn this team’s fortunes around there.”
Sevilla boss highlights 18-year wait for Bernabeu victory
The historical record provides an additional obstacle for Sevilla, as the last time Sevilla won at the Bernabeu was in 2008 in a 4-3 thriller.
Garcia Plaza revealed that he had not yet used the club’s long wait for an away win against Real Madrid as a motivational tool, although he admitted the statistic captures the scale of the challenge.
Luis Garcia Plaza is wary of Real Madrid’s threat. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
“I haven’t mentioned the fact that we haven’t won there for 18 years, but perhaps I will.
“That speaks volumes about how difficult that ground is, because even the best Sevilla teams in history haven’t picked up any points there.
“We’ve made it our guiding principle to compete right from the very first league match.”
Despite the difficult record, the Sevilla manager believes his players have enough conviction to approach the fixture positively.
He also explained why securing a result in Madrid would carry particular significance for him.
“I haven’t scored any points away from home with Real Madrid.
“It would be very special to do so now, because the team believes in what it’s doing and has tremendous enthusiasm and faith.”
Garcia Plaza wary of Real Madrid’s individual quality
Garcia Plaza also pointed to Real Madrid’s recent performances as evidence of the threat awaiting Sevilla, highlighting their ability to produce decisive moments even when opponents manage to restrict them.
Sevilla have not beaten Real Madrid at the Bernabeu since 2008. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
“You don’t have to look far to see what they’re capable of; the match against Roma is a case in point.
“There are games where they play very well, and others where, even if they’re tied down, they possess such immense individual quality… They’re absolutely brilliant.
“In terms of points, they’re not doing badly; what’s unusual is the number of points Barça have.”
Praise for Mourinho
The Sevilla manager then praised Jose Mourinho, whose influence he believes is already visible in the Madrid side.
Garcia Plaza described the Portuguese coach as one of the world’s leading managers and highlighted his ability to instil character in his teams.
“He’s one of the best managers in the world now, and he was 15 years ago too. I have a very good relationship with him.
“He instils character in his teams and his influence is already evident at this Real Madrid side,” he concluded.
Source: AS