The global betting company 1xBet makes a prediction for the UEFA Super Cup final, which will occur on August 16 in Piraeus. Will the favorite take its toll or Sevilla’s pragmatic football be able to work a miracle?
The Greek Passion
The port city not far from Athens has not hosted a European Cup final for 16 years. Loud Greek fans are missing football delicacies, but the UEFA Super Cup match between Manchester City and Sevilla should satisfy their hunger. The best world team in the 2022/2023 season and the Europa League most titled club in history will meet at the 33,000-seat Georgios Karaiskakis stadium.
Sevilla
Sevilla’s performances last season were like a roller coaster. The team had a weak first half of La Liga, and after a home defeat from Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, the Red-white bosses’ patience finally snapped, and coach Julen Lopetegui was fired 20 minutes after the end of the match. Jorge Sampaoli, who had already coached a team from Andalusia in the 2016/2017 season, was called to save the situation. The second cadence of the Argentine at the club lasted just over 5 months. This segment included an impressive comeback with Manchester United in the Europa League quarter-finals and an unsuccessful matches series in the championship. Sevilla’s third manager of the season was José Luis Mendilibar, who took over in March. A few months later, a little-known coach outside of Spain won another Europa League with the team. And not from anyone, but from Roma, led by Jose Mourinho!
Prize money for winning the Europa League did not solve Sevilla’s financial problems. The club has accumulated debts of €90 million, and the management was forced to start selling the main squad players. In the current realities, Sevilla is unlikely to be competitive in the Champions League and will most likely spend a restructuring season in order to pay off debts and accumulate strength for the future.
Manchester City
The last season’s resounding success can play a cruel joke on Josep Guardiola’s team. The long-awaited “treble” closed the gestalt of Manchester’s blue part, but now it can affect the psychological mood. The Citizens were frankly unimpressed in the match for the FA Community Shield, and after the defeat to Arsenal, Guardiola said this result should bring the players out of the treble-like lethargy. Will Europe’s strongest club maintain high standards at the start of the new season?
Back in the summer, the head coach told the fans that he would not take a break in his career and would work out his contract to the end. It means that Guardiola has accepted a new challenge, and with these thoughts, he is updating the squad. Mahrez was sold to Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahly, while Gundogan, one of the City’s most useful players, moved to Barcelona. Talk about the possible sale of Laporte, Cancelo, and Walker does not cease.
Central defender Josko Gvardiol has become Manchester City’s main summer reinforcement. The Croatian was paid €90 million, making him the most expensive defender in history. A notable transfer was the transfer of Kovacic from Chelsea. The central midfielder likes to join attacks and has a good pass and shot. Kovacic is also very useful and can be in the classic defensive midfielder position.
To play attacking football, you need to be confident in your defence, and the transfer of two Croats will definitely add reliability.
What to expect
In the UEFA Super Cup match, the Citizens will build on their own game and impose their football on Sevilla. The Spaniards’ defence is not very reliable – in the last championship, the team conceded 54 goals and became one of the worst in La Liga, according to this indicator. And when such a goal machine as Erling Haaland is your opponent, the match intrigue can die without being born. Sevilla’s main trump card is its сup character. The team has always been able to win in one, but the most important match for itself.
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