Wild situation in Seville: Lopetegui stays as coach, while the management is already negotiating with another coach

I don’t think anyone would want to be in Julen Lopetegui’s shoes right now. The Sevilla coach is preparing his team for Wednesday’s Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund, although he doesn’t know if he will even be on the bench. In fact, the management is discussing the arrival of a new coach.

Football life is cruel. Back in the winter, Lopetegui was exalted to the skies, he was the only one in La Liga chasing Real Madrid for the title and Sevilla were playing perfect football. But about six months have passed and the same man is up for sacking.

Sevilla are having a disastrous start to the new season. It lost its complete stopper duo (Koundé – Barcelona, Diego Carlos – Aston Villa) in the summer and no replacement has come. After seven rounds, the Andalusian side is languishing in the last non-relegation place of the table (17th) with just five points.

Even in the Champions League it is not the same, after a 0:4 defeat to Manchester City came a 0:0 draw with Copenhagen. And if the Rojiblancos want to even think about promotion, they have to beat Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. But will it still be with Lopetegui?

Sevilla’s sporting director Monchi is already looking for a solution. And he’s one step away from a change. In fact, he has begun talks with Jorge Sampaoli, who is expected to take the bench of Ramón Sanchéz Pizjuán. The 62-year-old coach has already led Sevilla in the 2016/17 season, he also led the national team of Argentina or Chile, and was last coach of Marseille, where he retired in July 2022.

According to the Spanish media, a deal is imminent and if Sampaoli high-fives Monchi later on Monday or Tuesday, he and not Lopetegui will lead Sevilla on Wednesday.

But everything is still tied to the fact that Sampaoli wants some guarantees. He knows that the current squad is not to his liking and he is asking for big reinforcements after the World Cup. That is what all the coaches that Sevilla have approached have reportedly asked for.

They know that the problem is not Lopetegui, who has been chasing the big three with Sevilla for the last few years. It is the squad assembled by director Monchi, which is quite weak compared to last season.

Lopetegui is thus in an unenviable situation. He continues to prepare the team, but he suspects that his sacking could come at any minute.

Source: MARCA