LONDON: Sevilla boss Diego Alonso has challenged his players to avenge their Champions League loss to Arsenal when the Spanish side meet the Gunners in a crucial Group B clash on Wednesday.
Defeat for the reigning Europa League champions would leave their chances of reaching the Champions League knockout stages hanging by a slender thread.
Arsenal are top of the group after their 2-1 win at Sevilla a fortnight ago, while Alonso’s men sit four points behind them in third place with three games to play.
Alonso believes Sevilla deserved more from their last encounter with Arsenal and he wants his side to prove a point when they face the Premier League title chasers in north London.
“We competed well, with an unfair result for me because we did more for the game,” Alonso told reporters on Tuesday.
Arsenal have lost two of their three domestic games since beating Sevilla, with Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle an especially painful result given the controversial nature of the Magpies’ winner.
Keen not to rile up Mikel Arteta’s side any further, Alonso was respectful of Arsenal’s quality, rating them as one of Europe’s elite clubs in Europe,
“The game at a strategic and football level is complex,” Alonso said.
“We are facing the fourth or fifth best team in Europe, they showed it last season, same in this one.
“It puts us in difficulties, but it also put us in difficulties two weeks ago.”
Sevilla will be without former Real Madrid star Sergio Ramos after the defender was ruled out with a calf injury.
Sevilla boss Alonso wants to avenge ‘unfair’ Arsenal loss
https://arab.news/g8nn3
Sevilla boss Alonso wants to avenge ‘unfair’ Arsenal loss
- Arsenal are top of the group after their 2-1 win at Sevilla a fortnight ago
- Alonso believes Sevilla deserved more from their last encounter with Arsenal
Man City close to Guehi signing: Palace boss Glasner
- City have stepped up their pursuit of Guehi in a deal reportedly worth $27m after suffering an acute injury crisis at center-half
- “Latest understanding, the deal with Marc is in the final stages,” Glasner said
LONDON: Manchester City are in the “final stages” of completing a deal for England defender Marc Guehi, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner said on Friday.
City have stepped up their pursuit of Guehi in a deal reportedly worth £20 million ($27 million) after suffering an acute injury crisis at center-half.
Guehi, who came close to joining Liverpool on transfer deadline day in September, would become City’s second signing of the January transfer window after their capture of winger Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth last week for about £65 million.
The 25-year-old captained Palace to FA Cup success in May against City — the first major trophy in the south London club’s history — and has won 26 England caps.
Other clubs reportedly interested in the defender, including Liverpool once again and Bayern Munich, were understood to be targeting a move at the end of the season, when Guehi was due to be a free agent.
“Latest understanding, the deal with Marc is in the final stages,” Glasner said on the eve of Palace’s Premier League match at Sunderland.
“We can’t confirm, but it is not done. The result is Marc doesn’t play tomorrow for us.”
The Palace boss added: “When the players want to move on, a deal will happen. It looks like it has happened now.
“Everyone wanted Marc to stay forever. I talked to him, of course, it stays between us. Marc showed it in the summer transfer window, showed it the whole autumn that he was 100 percent committed to the team and to Crystal Palace.
“I wish him all the best for the rest of his career. He is still at the beginning of his great career. He is a fantastic guy.”
City manager Pep Guardiola stressed he had “nothing to say” about the potential transfer at his own press conference ahead of his side’s match at Manchester United.
The club are currently without senior center-backs John Stones, Ruben Dias and Josko Gvardiol due to injury, while Nathan Ake has struggled to play more than once a week due to fitness issues.
Guardiola, whose team are second in the Premier League, six points behind Arsenal, said the club were “in a difficult situation for not one game but a long, long period,” adding: “Ruben will be back soon. Josko, no. John, hopefully we’ll see.”
City are also still challenging for silverware in the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
Glasner also said Friday he would leave Palace when his own contract expired at the end of the season.
