PETE JENSON: Sevilla lack consistency but under new manager Diego Alonso and with their ability to step up in big games, the Europa League holders could cause trouble for Arsenal

A new manager bounce, a sterling display against Real Madrid at the weekend and Sevilla’s typical tendency to produce big performances in important games are all factors that await Arsenal as they face the Europa League holders on Tuesday night at the Sanchez Pizjuan.

Former Sevilla youth-team player Lauren (far more famous for becoming an Arsenal Invincible) summed it up in an interview with Mail Sport recently. ‘We saw it last season, they can be in a bad way and then still win the Europa League’.

Quite how last year’s Sevilla pulled that off is still baffling. 

Based on their league form they should never have beaten Manchester United and Juventus but under no-nonsense manager Jose Luis Mendilibar and backed by a fervent following turning their concrete bowl stadium into a rocking raucous sea of red they somehow reached the final. And once Sevilla are in a Europa League final – they always win it.

There has been a change of manager since then. Mendilibar has paid for a slow start with a somewhat heartless sacking after the team won just two of their first 11 games. 

The Spanish club are now under the guidance of former Uruguay manager Diego Alonso

Sevilla won the Europa League under former coach Jose Luis Mendilibar but he was sacked at the start of the month

There were mitigating circumstances with the European Super Cup final against Manchester City taking away focus, and an underwhelming summer transfer market not really setting the team up for a storming start. There were also a couple of late goals turning wins into mere draws.

Sevilla fans have moved from his brief reign (they have changed managers 10 times in the last decade) and are now right behind the slick Uruguayan coach Diego Alonso. He is unlikely to change too much because Sevilla’s best players are fairly easy to pick out and once you’ve picked…