Champions league: Sevilla vs. Arsenal

Sevilla play hosts to Group H leaders Arsenal hoping their unfortunate league form won’t follow them to the Champions League. The Spanish side are out for revenge after losing in London on the opening day of the competition by three goals to nil, and being made to look like complete novices in the process. Since that game Sevilla have improved, but are still having some unlucky games. They aren’t playing that badly but seem to have problems concentrating at key points. The home defeat at the hands of Mallorca at the weekend is a perfect example. They should have won, as they are the better team in front of their home crowd, and for the better part of the game did play better. But they ended up losing by two goals to one and slipped even further away form the top of La Liga.

Arsenal aren’t having any of those problems, however. Their form is becoming increasingly solid, and this was proved by another victory on Saturday. This time the victims were Wigan and Arsenal didn’t really have to change out of first gear to beat them by two goals to nil. That victory made it twenty eight games without losing and I can’t see Sevilla altering this fact come Tuesday night.

Sevilla can field a full strength side in this match and will probably need it. Arsenal o the other hand, will have some important absentees, most notably Van Persie, Gilberto and Walcott. The real soul of the team - Cesc Fábregas- will be there on the night though, and will want to impress on his return to his country.

Sevilla will probably be hoping Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger leaves his most talented players at home and gives the younger players some experience, as the London club have already qualified for the next round. I doubt this will happen though, as Wenger is too cautious a man to do that.

I’m going for an Arsenal win here. Sevilla have the players and the talent, but just don’t have the puff or the confidence to win. Watch out for Fábregas having a huge game and will probably be the deciding factor.

Prediction: Away win (1-2)