Sevilla is a hurricane: Lopetegui, sentenced

At the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, patience has run out.

In the stands, the fans asked last weekend for the resignation of José Castro, president of Sevilla, when the team lost again, this time against Atlético de Madrid (0-2).

It was the club's fourth defeat in the league, already one point behind relegation.

In the offices, the board of directors decided, in an extraordinary meeting held yesterday, Monday night, the continuity of Julen Lopetegui until Sevilla's match against Borussia Dortmund (Wednesday, 9:00 p.m., Movistar LC) in a vital match.

The team, bottom of Group G with one point, cannot fail against the Germans, second classified with three points.

If the Andalusian team obtains the victory, they would straighten their European trajectory a lot if they count on the defeat of Copenhagen against City.

An important goal that

The Basque coach is sentenced.

Just after the 4-0 loss to City (on September 7), Sevilla began the search for a replacement coach.

After receiving the refusal of technicians like Mauricio Pochettino or Marcelino García Toral, the Andalusian team reached an agreement with Jorge Sampaoli this week.

This Tuesday, Lopetegui appeared at a press conference and held his tongue: “Out of respect for my responsibility, I am not going to express an opinion on what has happened in recent months.

170 games are not given away by chance in a club like Sevilla.

You have to earn a lot to reach that figure.

It's my responsibility and I'm not going to change my speech because I have to live up to our fans, who deserve the best of everyone.

After the team has gone into a tailspin, in a decline that has been perceived since the second round of last year, Monchi, the sports director, decided to keep the coach in his position when all the signs pointed to the end of the cycle.

Monchi supported the coach at all times after two important meetings analyzing the coach's future.

In the first, they went to the captains, Jesús Navas and Rakitic, who showed the group's confidence in the coach.

The leaders of Sevilla, already supporters of the relay, kept Lopetegui in his position before the league break due to the dispute of national team matches.

The defeat against Atlético already convinced Monchi that it was necessary to make the change.

The executive, after receiving the refusal of several coaches,

has reached an agreement in principle with Jorge Sampaoli, who directed Sevilla in the 2016-17 season, being the last coach signed by Monchi before leaving for Roma.

As this newspaper has learned, the idea of ​​the leaders of Sevilla is to dismiss Lopetegui even obtaining the victory against the German team.

Negotiations with Sampaoli have not been easy.

To begin with, the Argentine did not want to train the Sevilla team in this Champions League match against Dortmund, a task that will fall to Lopetegui as the club does not have an interim coach who could lead the transition.

Then, the agreement contemplates a duration of a year and a half.

At the same time, Sampaoli, who has analyzed the Andalusian team's squad, has asked Monchi for up to four signings in the next winter market, which will force the Andalusian team to make a significant financial investment.

The Sevilla squad was very affected after the departure of Diego Carlos and Koundé.

Monchi's planning has left much to be desired and players have arrived, in the case of Dolberg, Marcao or Januzaj, out of shape or injured.

Of the signings, only Isco is responding,

“I repeat, I am not going to express any opinion.

My focus is on a Champions League match.

It hasn't been easy to prepare for this match, but it's a challenge and so is the coaching profession.

We must all be responsible, especially for our fans.

The situations are what they are and I must give the best of myself”, Lopetegui added when asked again if he felt betrayed by Sevilla, forcing him to direct a game with Sampaoli closed to the Sevilla bench.

The 62-year-old Argentine coach, after a tour in Marseille, where he had a good season to leave in the current one due to disagreements with the directors of the French team, would arrive in the capital of Andalusia this Thursday to take charge of Sevilla and prepare the league match against Athletic next Saturday (6:30 p.m.).

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