It has been a bit of a nightmare lately for Matías Almeyda and his Sevilla squad. Losing three on the bounce is bad enough, but failing to find the net in over 270 minutes of football? That is a real worry for a club of this stature. Still, we know the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán can be a fortress when the fans get behind them. They actually average 1.56 goals scored per home game, which suggests the firepower is there, even if it has gone missing recently. With an average of 3.22 total goals in their home matches, we usually see plenty of action, but the 1.67 goals conceded per game at home tells you exactly where the leaks are. They will be missing Suazo and Azpilicueta through injury, which certainly doesn’t help the defensive stability.

Sevilla’s recent 3-0 loss to Levante was a tough pill to swallow, especially as things looked level until just before the break. They seem to lose focus at the worst possible times. That said, they have shown they can dismantle big teams here, like that 4-1 win over Barcelona earlier in the season. It is hard to say how this will end because Sevilla is so Jekyll and Hyde. They commit a lot of fouls, averaging 16.22 per match at home, which shows a level of frustration or perhaps just an aggressive approach to stop transitions. Will that aggression help them break this losing streak, or will it just lead to more bookings? They already average 3.44 cards per home game, so expect a fiery atmosphere.

On the other side of the pitch, Celta Vigo is enjoying a much steadier ride. Claudio Giráldez has them playing some decent stuff, and that 4-1 win over Valencia was a statement. Borja Iglesias is the man to watch, with 10 goals across all competitions, and honestly, he looks like he could score every time he touches the ball in the box. Celta’s away form is a bit more conservative, though. They only score about 1.38 goals per game on the road and concede 0.88. They aren’t exactly travel experts lately, with only one win in their last five away, but they are incredibly hard to break down. Their Spanish League Predictions profile suggests they are happy to take a point if the win isn’t there, evidenced by their eight draws this season.

Can Celta exploit the nerves in the Sevilla stands? Probably. They don’t commit as many fouls as Sevilla, but they are efficient. They won 3.13 corners per away match, which isn’t huge, but they make them count. Interestingly, Celta matches away from home only see about 2.25 goals on average, which is a sharp contrast to Sevilla’s chaotic home stats. Even so, with Iago Aspas and Bryan Zaragoza in the mix, they have the technical quality to punish any Sevilla mistakes. It’s a fascinating tactical battle: Sevilla’s desperate need to attack vs Celta’s organized, counter-punching style. Still, the weight of those three recent losses must be sitting heavy on the home players’ shoulders.