Jose Luis Mendilibar was appointed as the new Sevilla manager in mid-March as a desperation measure to avoid relegation. In the space of just six weeks, he has got the team dreaming of a very different objective – another Europa League trophy. Mendilibar was previously best known for keeping minnows Eibar in the top flight for six seasons on a shoestring budget. He was chosen to replace Jorge Sampaoli, whose five-month reign had unravelled with a run of three bad losses in four games, leaving the team just two points clear of the relegation zone. Sampaoli had been accused of confusing his players with endless tactical tinkering, and Mendilibar wasted no time in stating exactly how he felt the team needed to change. He said that they should play more simply, and this was demonstrated in a 2-0 win against Cadiz, when defender Loic Bade launched a free-kick 60 yards downfield, Bryan Gil flicked it on and Youssef En-Nesyri ran through to score. This goal was heralded as “poetry” by local newspaper Diario de Sevilla.
Mendilibar’s instructions have reinvigorated Sevilla to an unexpected degree, with the previously under-performing players thriving under his clear and calmly delivered instructions. He has pushed the team to play high up the field, press the opposition, play the ball forward as quickly as possible and use plenty of width to deliver a steady stream of crosses into the penalty area. His seven league games in charge have resulted in five wins, a draw and just one defeat, banishing relegation concerns and sparking hopes that European qualification might still be within reach. Most notably, Sevilla achieved a rousing 5-2 aggregate victory over Manchester United in the Europa League quarter-final. This has prompted many Sevilla fans to start believing their team will once again lift a trophy that has become ‘their own’ in recent years.
Mendilibar’s future remains unclear, as his contract is only until the end of the season. There will also be plenty of movement in the transfer market, as four of the current squad are loanees and Monchi has already admitted costs will need to be cut if the team doesn’t qualify for Europe. However, thanks to the remarkable improvement inspired by Mendilibar, playing in next season’s Champions League as a reward for winning ‘their’ Europa League is within reach. If that happens, surely Sevilla’s new boss is here to stay.