Sevilla FC urgently need to stem a defensive leak after conceding 10 goals in their last three matches, their worst run since the 2013/14 season. The team has taken just one point from a possible nine in that span, leaving the sixth-placed side in La Liga with 14 points from nine games, 13 behind leaders Barcelona.
Juan Iglesias, the Chilean defender who has played every minute of the season, acknowledged the issue. "We are working and improving in that aspect because beyond the results, what hurts us most as a team is conceding that number of goals," explained the full-back. "We want to return to that defensive solidity."
The slump began with a 3-1 home defeat to Barcelona. It continued with a 3-3 draw away at Levante, where the team squandered a two-goal lead in the dying minutes. The final blow was a 4-1 thrashing at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid on 18 October, featuring a Kylian Mbappé brace.
Lost solidity
The contrast is stark. In the first six matchdays of the competition, the Sevillian defence had only conceded six goals, showing a firmness that now seems to have evaporated. The team managed by Quique Sánchez Flores has seen its back line, usually formed by Iglesias, Andrés Castrín, Kike Salas and Gabriel Suazo, lose concentration at key moments. The team's recent form, with just one point taken from the last 270 league minutes, contrasts sharply with the start of the campaign, when they secured four wins and two draws in their first eight outings.
The squad includes players who have been present for every minute, such as goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos and midfielder Lucien Agoumé, underlining the continuity on which the team is built. Also, the club strengthened the defensive block this summer with the signings of Jon Guridi, Giorgi Kochorashvili, Youssouf Fofana and Formose Mendy Sangante. Kochorashvili, who returned to training with the group this week, could provide fresh legs.
The immediate schedule, which includes the visit of Osasuna this Monday 26 October, followed by trips to Alavés and Getafe, demands a quick reaction. The Navarrese side sits tenth and arrives off a win, making them a perfect test to see if Sevilla have plugged their gaps.
With 16 goals conceded in total this season, the objective is clear: regain the strength that allowed them to secure four wins and two draws in their first eight outings. The last match before this poor run was a 1-0 victory over Valencia, a reminder of what the unit is capable of when functioning compactly. Work this week has focused on defensive details to confidently face a league phase that could define their campaign.
The report in full is at Mundo Deportivo
