05 de January de 2010
Sevilla coach Manolo Jiménez has declared that the battle to challenge Barcelona and Real Madrid teams for the Primera Liga championship must now be forgotten as recent results and a string of injuries have hampered his side's attempt to maintain a title tilt.
The Andalusian side are now ten points adrift of leaders Barcelona and face the champions on Tuesday night at Camp Nou in the first leg of their Copa del Rey round of 16 clash. Sevilla have just 14 first team players available for selection and Jimenez insists that his team face a difficult task.
"It will be a difficult game against the best team in the world," Jimenez told a press conference.
"We expected to lose four players to the African Cup of Nations but thankfully only two have gone [Frederic Kanoute and Didier Zokora]. But what we never envisaged was losing so many players to injury, especially ankle injuries.
"We hope to be in the top four and close to the top two. There is no doubt that will happen [Barcelona and Real Madrid finishing in the top two]. The fight for first place must be forgotten because of recent results and the problems with injuries."