Two teams with plenty to fight for in the closing stages of the 2022-23 La Liga campaign will meet on Sunday evening, with Real Valladolid welcoming Sevilla to Estadio Municipal Jose Zorrilla.
The home side are currently 16th in the table, just one point outside of the relegation zone, while Sevilla occupy 11th, only three points behind seventh-placed Girona in the race for European football.
Match preview
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Real Valladolid are firmly involved in a relegation battle in the latter stages of the campaign, currently sitting 16th in the table, just one point ahead of 18th-placed Getafe on the same number of matches (33).
The White and Violets put themselves in a strong position to avoid the drop when they took seven points from their three games against Mallorca, Villarreal and Girona last month, but three straight losses to Valencia, Atletico Madrid and Rayo Vallecano have pulled them back into trouble.
Paulo Pezzolano's side found themselves 2-0 behind to Rayo in the 80th minute last time out; Sergio Leon halved the deficit in the 84th minute to set up a grandstand finish, but the visitors were unable to find a second, as they lost for the 18th time in the league this season.
Real Valladolid will be hoping to take advantage of the fact that Sevilla were in Turin on Thursday evening for the first leg of their Europa League semi-final with Juventus.
Pezzolano's team have picked up a respectable 24 points in front of their own fans this season, but they have not beaten Sevilla in Spain's top flight since December 2012.
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Each of the last four La Liga meetings between these two sides have finished 1-1, while Sevilla are unbeaten in their last 10 top-flight fixtures with their opponents this weekend.
As mentioned, though, Los Nervionenses would not have had long to prepare for this match, as they took on Juventus in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final on Thursday; Youssef En-Nesyri looked to have won it for the Spanish side with a 26th-minute goal, but Federico Gatti netted a last-gasp leveller for the Italians.
Sevilla would secure a spot in next season's Champions League if they won the Europa League, but they can still claim a European spot via their La Liga position, currently sitting only three points behind Girona in seventh, which would see them qualify for the Europa Conference League playoff round.
This is certainly not the domestic season that Sevilla planned for, but winning the Europa League would be an excellent end to a largely disappointing campaign, and the future looks positive under Jose Luis Mendilibar, who has won six, drawn three and lost just one of his 10 games in charge.
Rojiblancos, who will welcome Juventus to Estadio Ramon for the second leg of their semi-final next week, have won five of their last seven league games, including a 3-2 success over Espanyol last time out.
Team News
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Real Valladolid will be missing Luis Perez, Selim Amallah and Anuar Tuhami for this weekend's contest, while Darwin Machis remains a major fitness doubt.
Perez's absence will open the door for the in-demand Ivan Fresneda to return to the XI, while Leon's goal off the bench against Rayo could see him rewarded with a start in this match.
Head coach Pezzolano is again expected to line his side up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Cyle Larin a certainty in the final third of the field, while Gonzalo Plata should also retain his starting role.
As for Sevilla, head coach Mendilibar will undoubtedly make changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle against Juventus on Thursday night.
However, Suso, Jesus Manuel Corona, Tanguy Nianzou, Marcao and Joan Jordan are not options for change, with all five players on the sidelines through injury.
Lucas Ocampos is also unlikely to feature, having been forced off early against Juventus, but Gonzalo Montiel, Erik Lamela, Rafa Mir, Pape Gueye, Alex Telles and Karim Rekik should all come into the side.
Real Valladolid possible starting lineup:
Masip; El Yamiq, Hongla, Sanchez; Fresneda, Monchu, Perez, Escudero; Plata, Leon, Larin
Sevilla possible starting lineup:
Bono; Montiel, Gudelj, Rekik, Telles; Rakitic, Gueye; Lamela, Torres, Gil; Mir
We say: Real Valladolid 1-1 Sevilla
There is no question that Sevilla will be thinking about the second leg of their Europa League semi-final, which should hand Real Valladolid an advantage. The home side's recent form is a concern, though, and we are therefore struggling to back them to win, instead settling on a low-scoring draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Matt Law
