Barcelona to Face Sevilla in Xavi’s Final Match as Head Coach
In what will be the final match of Xavi’s tumultuous reign, Barcelona is set to close out the 2023-24 La Liga season against Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium on Sunday night. The Blaugrana’s second-placed finish has already been confirmed, while their hosts, Sevilla, have been condemned to a bottom-half placement.
Sevilla, under the guidance of Quique Sanchez Flores, have managed to steer clear of relegation troubles in the latter part of the season. However, they are currently on a three-game losing streak in the league, with defeats against Villarreal, Cadiz, and Athletic Bilbao. Despite their struggles, Sevilla will look to end the season on a positive note and improve their home record.
On the other hand, Barcelona has been in fine form recently, winning their last three La Liga matches without conceding a goal. Xavi’s side will be looking to give him the perfect send-off as he prepares to hand over the reins to Hansi Flick for the upcoming season. With a strong away record against Andalusian teams and a dominant record against Sevilla in recent meetings, Barcelona will be the favorites heading into the clash.
Team News and Possible Lineups for Sevilla vs. Barcelona
Sevilla will welcome back Boubakary Soumare from suspension, but several key players like Jesus Navas, Lucas Ocampos, and Marcos Acuna are facing fitness concerns. On the other hand, Barcelona will be without Alejandro Balde, Gavi, and Frenkie de Jong due to injury, but Xavi could make some changes to his starting lineup for the final match of the season.
Possible starting lineups:
Sevilla: Nyland; Salas, Bade, Ramos; Sanchez, Soumare, Agoume, Acuna; Lukebakio, En-Nesyri, Ocampos
Barcelona: Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Cancelo; Pedri, Christensen, Gundogan; Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha
Barcelona Favored to Secure Victory in Xavi’s Farewell Match
Barcelona’s recent defensive solidity and impressive record against Sevilla make them the favorites to come out on top in Xavi’s final match as head coach. With the Blaugrana in fine form and Sevilla struggling for results, a comfortable victory for Barcelona is predicted, with a 2-0 scoreline being a likely outcome. Xavi will be hoping for a fitting send-off as he prepares to pass on the managerial duties to Hansi Flick for the upcoming season.
