Real Madrid vs Sevilla — 5 Key Players to watch out for | LaLiga 2020/21
After a disappointing exit from the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, Real Madrid will turn their attention to LaLiga Santander as a crucial fixture against Sevilla awaits them in the capital.
The game could have massive implications for the thrilling title race in LaLiga as a win for Los Blancos could propel them to the top of the table after the draw between Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. Meanwhile, should Sevilla win at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, it could possibly end the defending champions' hopes of retaining their Spanish crown.
The visitors, currently occupying fourth place in the table with 70 points, have been in sublime form over the course of the 2020/21 campaign. Former Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetugui has turned Los Nervionenses into a well-oiled machine since his arrival last season.
Sevilla were on an incredible five-game win streak in LaLiga, including a victory against Atletico Madrid, until a shock defeat to Athletic Club last week brought it to an end.
Real Madrid's 17-game unbeaten run across all competitions came to an abrupt end with a 2-0 loss at Stamford Bridge. To make matters worse, Los Blancos' injury tally has gone up once again, with their entire first-choice defence of Ferland Mendy, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, and Dani Carvajal ruled out for the game against Sevilla.
The two sides played out a cagey fixture last time around at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, where the hosts lost by a scoreline of 1-0 after a rather unfortunate own-goal from Yassine Bounou.
Ahead of Sevilla's visit to face an injury-ravaged Real Madrid, here is a look at five players to keep an eye out for.
#5 Thibaut Courtois | Real Madrid
Despite Real Madrid's injury struggles in defence, Thibaut Courtois has simply been phenomenal in LaLiga Santander this season and has bailed his side out on numerous occasions. The towering Belgian has arguably been the best goalkeeper in Spain and one of the best in world football in 2020/21.
Courtois boasts of the best save percentage in the top five European leagues (82.2%), and he's conceded just 24 goals in his 34 games so far, keeping 16 clean sheets in LaLiga. Sevilla will need something special to get past the 28-year-old, who heads into this fixture with five clean sheets in his last six LaLiga games.
#4 Youssef En-Nesyri | Sevilla
Sevilla star Yousef En-Nesyri will undoubtedly be the visitors' biggest attacking threat against Real Madrid on Sunday. The Moroccan has been in a remarkable vein of form for Lopetegui's side, having scored 17 goals so far in the league, a figure bettered by only four players in LaLiga this season including the likes of Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema.
En-Nesyri is a nuisance for any defence to deal with, particularly in the air, as he contests for 7.3 aerial duels per game and has already scored five headed goals in LaLiga. With both Ramos and Varane unavailable, Real Madrid's second-string defence will have to be at their best to keep En-Nesyri quiet. All of the 23-year-old's league goals have come from within the box, highlighting his predatory instincts and dangerous movement.
Also read: 5 Players with most nutmegs in Europe this season (2020/21)