El Pais assess Sevilla’s demoralising defeat to Arsenal, focusing on their pre-emptive surrender and Diego Alonso’s questionable tactical setup that led to a lack of competitiveness on the pitch, stating “Sevilla forgets to compete against Arsenal”.

A large part of the Spanish press’s review of Sevilla‘s performance against Arsenal is highly critical, depicting a team that seemed defeated even before the match started, despite manager Diego Alonso’s assertion before the game they were out for ‘revenge’.

The defeat is not just seen as a result of the 2-0 scoreline but more so due to Sevilla‘s lack of competitive spirit and tactical coherence. The side is described as tactically disorganised, with an unexpected and unfit lineup that failed to offer any substantial opposition to Arsenal‘s attacks.

Diego Alonso, Sevilla‘s coach, is singled out for his strategic choices, putting together a team that lacked match fitness and seemed to be set up in an odd formation.

El Pais views Alonso as responsible for Sevilla‘s passive play and inability to challenge Arsenal, who managed to score with relative ease.

Sevilla‘s performance is labeled as ineffective and uncharacteristic of an elite team, with the Spanish press highlighting the absence of a clear game plan to compete against a strong Arsenal side.

Even with seasoned players like Navas, Rakitic, and Ocampos on the bench, Sevilla failed to present any real threat and did not attempt a shot on target until the final minutes of the match.

The review suggests that Sevilla played like a small team, which was surprising and somewhat disconcerting in front of an Arsenal team already missing the injured Gabriel Jesus.

Sevilla‘s tactical shift to a three-center-back defence just before Arsenal‘s first goal is criticised as it did not prevent the defeat, and the change did nothing to alter the course of the game.

In the second half, Sevilla‘s lack of change in approach or tactics is seen as another sign of their resignation to defeat. Arsenal, facing little resistance, could afford to pull back and wait, leading to their second goal by Bukayo Saka.

Overall, the Spanish publication paints a bleak picture of Sevilla‘s strategy and execution on the field, with Alonso’s inability to rally the team highlighted as a key concern.

The defeat is portrayed not only as a result of Arsenal‘s superiority but also as a self-inflicted wound due to Sevilla‘s own shortcomings.