Sevilla are under new management for UEFA Champions League Matchday 3 as they look to get their first Group B win on the board against Arsenal, who will themselves attempt to bounce back from a defeat in southern Spain.
The Andalusian club parted company with UEFA Europa League-winning coach José Luis Mendilibar on 8 October, appointing former Uruguay coach Diego Alonso as his replacement two days later.
Sevilla are third in the section on two points having drawn 1-1 at home to Lens and then 2-2 at PSV Eindhoven. Their visitors are one place and one point better off, Arsenal marking their return to the group stage after a six-season absence with a 4-0 home win against PSV on Matchday 1 only to lose 2-1 in northern France last time out.
Previous meetings
The sides' sole previous meetings came in the 2007/08 Champions League – Sevilla's first appearance in the group stage.
The Spanish side's debut ended in a 3-0 defeat at the Arsenal Stadium, Cesc Fàbregas (27), Robin van Persie (59) and Eduardo (90+2) on target for the home side.
It seemed set to be a similar story in Spain on Matchday 5 as Eduardo gave the visitors an 11th-minute lead, but goals from Seydou Keita (24) and Luís Fabiano (34) turned the tide before half-time, Frédéric Kanouté wrapping up the points with an 89th-minute penalty.
Jesús Navas started both games for Sevilla.
That home win helped Sevilla finish first in Group H on 15 points, two ahead of runners-up Arsenal. The Spanish side would go on to lose on penalties to Fenerbahçe in the round of 16; Arsenal went out to Liverpool in an all-English quarter-final.
Form guide
Sevilla
Record vs English clubs: W10 D8 L8 F37 A40Home record vs English clubs: W5 D2 L3
Sevilla have already faced English opposition this season, losing on penalties to Manchester City in the UEFA Super Cup in Piraeus on 16 August.
The Spanish side had ousted City's neighbours Manchester United in the quarter-finals of their triumphant Europa League campaign last season, coming from 2-0 down to draw at Old Trafford thanks to two late own goals before a 3-0 home victory in which Youssef En-Nesyri scored twice.
That second-leg win against United is one of only two victories in Sevilla's last nine matches against English clubs (D3 L4).
Before beating United, a 1-0 win in the first leg of the 2021/22 Europa League round of 16 against West Ham was Sevilla's only victory in five fixtures at home to Premier League visitors (D2 L2), the two defeats their joint heaviest of all time in Europe, both 0-4 in the Champions League group stage – against Chelsea in 2020/21 and Manchester City on Matchday 1 last season.
This is Sevilla's ninth appearance in the Champions League group stage, and a fourth in succession. The Spanish club have reached the round of 16 or better on five occasions, although their last two campaigns have ended in the group stage.
Sevilla won a record-extending seventh UEFA Cup/Europa League in 2022/23, beating Roma 4-1 on penalties in the final at Budapest's Puskás Aréna following a 1-1 draw after extra time. The Andalusians had finished third in Champions League Group G on five points and moved into the Europa League knockout round play-offs. There they beat PSV before further victories against Fenerbahçe (2-0 h, 0-1 a), Manchester United (2-2 a, 3-0 h) and Juventus (1-1 a, 2-1 h aet).
Sevilla have won four more UEFA Cup/Europa Leagues than any other side – three-time champions Inter, Liverpool, Juventus and Atlético are their closest rivals.
Navas was named the 2022/23 Europa League Player of the Season.
Sevilla's best European Cup performances came in 1957/58 and 2017/18 when they reached the quarter-finals, losing to Real Madrid and Bayern München respectively.
The Andalusian club have managed only four victories in their last 14 home Champions League matches (D4 L6).
Sevilla had, however, won five successive home European games, scoring 13 goals and conceding only one, before being held by Lens on Matchday 1.
Mendilibar's side lost 5-4 on penalties to Manchester City after a 1-1 draw in the UEFA Super Cup in Piraeus on 16 August. It was Sevilla's sixth Super Cup defeat, a competition record.
Sevilla finished 12th in La Liga last season and were knocked out of the Copa del Rey at the quarter-final stage. It was their lowest Liga finish since 1999/2000, when they were relegated in bottom place.
Arsenal
Record vs Spanish clubs: W12 D9 L16 F48 A50Away record vs Spanish clubs: W3 D3 L11
Arsenal have not played Spanish opponents since losing to Villarreal in the 2020/21 Europa League semi-finals, going down 2-1 both in the away first leg and on aggregate.
The Gunners have won just three of their 17 fixtures away to Spanish sides. A 4-2 victory at Valencia in the 2018/19 Europa League semi-final second leg (7-3 aggregate) is the only one of their last six games away to Liga opponents that did not end in defeat.
Arsenal have won only 12 of their 37 UEFA fixtures against Spanish opposition, their 16 defeats including three in finals – against Barcelona in the 2005/06 UEFA Champions League decider and in the European Cup Winners' Cup against Valencia (1979/80) and Real Zaragoza (1994/95).
This is Arsenal's 20th Champions League group stage campaign – second only to Manchester United's 25 among English clubs – but a first since 2016/17, their 19th in a row, all under Arsène Wenger.
In that 2016/17 campaign, the Gunners lost in the round of 16 for the seventh season running, going down 5-1 away and at home against Bayern München.
Arsenal's most successful European campaign in recent years came in 2018/19 when, with Unai Emery in charge, they reached the Europa League final only to lose 4-1 to London rivals Chelsea in Baku.
In 2022/23, now coached by Mikel Arteta, Arsenal finished first in their Europa League section to earn direct passage to the round of 16, where they lost 5-3 on penalties to Sporting CP in the home second leg (2-2 a, 1-1 h aet).
Arsenal have won 11 of their last 18 away European matches, losing only three – although those defeats have come in their last six fixtures.
The Matchday 2 loss at Lens means the Gunners have now lost five of their last nine away Champions League matches, winning just three.
Champions League runners-up in 2006, when they lost 2-1 to Barcelona at the Stade de France, Arsenal were second in the Premier League last season, five points behind Manchester City. It was their highest final league position since also finishing as runners-up, to Leicester, in 2015/16.
Links and trivia
Arsenal manager Arteta was a substitute in Real Sociedad's 2-1 home Liga defeat by Sevilla on 26 September 2004.
Navas was a Manchester City player between 2013 and 2016, when he rejoined Sevilla. He made 183 appearances for the English club in all competitions, scoring eight goals, and won the Premier League in 2013/14 and the League Cup in both that season and 2015/16.
Navas's record against Arsenal for City was W2 D4 L4, two of the defeats coming in the 2014 FA Community Shield (0-3) – when Fernando was also in the City line-up – and the 2015/16 FA Cup semi-final (1-2).
On 14 March 2021, Erik Lamela scored but was then sent off in Tottenham's 2-1 Premier League loss at Arsenal.
Have also played in England:Ørjan Nyland (Aston Villa 2018/21, Norwich 2021 loan, Bournemouth 2021/22 loan, Reading 2022 loan)
Marko Dmitrović (Charlton Athletic 2015)
Löic Badé (Nottingham Forest 2022 loan)
Fernando (Manchester City 2014–17)
Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United 2012–16, Sunderland 2016/17 loan)
Erik Lamela (Tottenham 2013–2021)
Boubakary Soumaré (Leicester City 2021–23)
Suso (Liverpool 2010–15)
Dodi Lukebakio (Watford 2018)
Rafa Mir (Wolves 2018, Nottingham Forest 2019/20 loan)
Have played in Spain:
Miguel Azeez (Ibiza 2022/23 loan)
Thomas Partey (Atlético de Madrid 2012–21, Mallorca 2013/14 loan)
Martin Ødegaard (Real Madrid 2014–2021, Real Sociedad 2019/20 loan)
International team-mates:
Jesús Navas & David Rayà (Spain)
Ørjan Nyland & Martin Ødegaard (Norway)
Leandro Trossard, Adnan Januzaj & Dodi Lukebakio (Belgium)
On 23 March 2019 Sergio Ramos scored in Spain's 2-1 win over Martin Ødegaard's Norway in a UEFA EURO 2020 qualifier.
On 6 September 2020 two Ramos goals helped Spain to a 4-0 win over Oleksandr Zinchenko's Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League finals. Navas also played 90 minutes for the home side.
Latest news
Sevilla
On Saturday Sevilla drew 1-1 at home to Real Madrid, making it three successive draws in all competitions.
After the Matchday 2 draw at PSV, Sevilla rescued a 2-2 draw at home against Rayo Vallecano on 7 October having trailed by two goals at half-time.
Summer signing Djibril Sow hit his first goal for Sevilla while Youssef En-Nesyri struck his third La Liga goal of the season, finding the net for the third successive club game in all competitions, a run that ended on Saturday.
On 8 October Sevilla parted company with coach José Luis Mendilibar, who had taken charge on 21 March and overseen 28 games in all competitions. Two days later, Diego Alonso agreed a deal until the end of the season as Mendilibar's replacement.
Alonso, who played in Spain for Valencia (2000–02), Atlético de Madrid (2001/02 loan), Racing Club (2002/03 loan), Málaga (2003/04 loan) and Real Murcia (2005/06), has previously coached in Uruguay, Paraguay, Mexico and the United States, winning the CONCACAF Champions League with Mexican sides Pachuca in 2017 and Monterrey two years later. He was last in charge of Uruguay at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Sevilla have won just two of their 12 games in all competitions this season (D6 L4). They are without a victory in their last four matches (D3 L1).
The 0-0 draw against Osasuna on 23 September is one of only two clean sheets Sevilla have managed this season.
A 5-1 defeat of Almería on 26 September was the first time Sevilla had scored five goals in a game since 4 January.
The win against Almería was only the second time this season Sevilla had scored more than one goal in a game. They have now managed two or more in three of their last five matches.
New Sevilla goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland made his debut in the 0-0 draw against Osasuna. He has since played five games in all competitions without keeping a clean sheet.
Tanguy Nianzou suffered an injury to his left hamstring in training on 5 August and has not played since, although he was on the bench on Saturday.
Marcão has not played since the UEFA Europa League final due to a tear in his quadriceps, although he was an unused substitute against Rayo.
Sergio Ramos made his second Sevilla debut in the 1-0 win against Las Palmas on 17 September, 18 years 20 days after his first,
Jesús Navas set up Spain's first goal in the 2-0 home win against Scotland on 12 October, becoming the oldest player to provide an assist for the national side aged 37 years 325 days. Three days later, he was an unused substitute in Spain's 1-0 win away to club-mate Nyland's Norway that clinched qualification for UEFA EURO 2024.
Dodi Lukebakio scored twice in Belgium's 3-2 away win in Austria on 13 October as his side qualified for UEFA EURO 2024.
Navas finished 11th in the UEFA Player of the Year voting with six points.
Mendilibar was seventh in the UEFA Coach of the Year vote.
In addition to Player of the Season Navas, Yassine Bounou (now at Al-Hilal), Marcos Acuña and Ivan Rakitić were also included in the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League Team of the Season.
Bounou is one of the 30 nominees for the Ballon d'Or, the winner of which will be announced in Paris on 30 October.
Arsenal
The Gunners' record in this season's Premier League is W6 D3. On Saturday, they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 away at Chelsea.
Leandro Trossard scored Arsenal's equaliser at Stamford Bridge, his fourth goal in six games for club and country. The Belgian's first three Premier League strikes for Arsenal have all come as a substitute, a new club record.
Bukayo Saka provided the assist for Trossard's goal and has contributed to goals in his last six Premier League matches (three goals, three assists). Saka has five goals and three assists in his last nine Premier League games.
Arsenal were 1-0 winners at home to Manchester City on 8 October thanks to a deflected late goal from substitute Gabriel Martinelli. They had lost their 12 previous Premier League matches against City.
Arsenal have dropped points only in three 2-2 draws, at home against Fulham on 26 August and north London rivals Tottenham on 24 September in a game they led twice and at Chelsea.
Saka is Arsenal's top scorer in this season's Premier League on four goals, one more than Martin Ødegaard with Declan Rice – who got the first goal on Saturday – Trossard and Eddie Nketiah on two.
The Gunners were 1-0 winners at Brentford in the English League Cup third round on 27 September; they will visit West Ham in the last 16 on 1 November.
Mikel Arteta's side kicked off the season by lifting the Community Shield for the 17th time – and the fifth in the last decade – by beating Premier League champions and FA Cup holders Manchester City 4-1 on penalties at Wembley on 6 August.
Nketiah made his England debut as a substitute in a 1-0 friendly defeat of Australia on 13 October.
Oleksandr Zinchenko set up Ukraine's first goal in a 2-0 UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying win against North Macedonia on 14 October.
On 17 October, Rice played 90 minutes as England beat Italy 3-1 at Wembley to book their place at UEFA EURO 2024.
Martinelli returned as a half-time substitute against Manchester City after five games out injured.
Thomas Partey came on as a late substitute against City, his first appearance since going off with a groin injury in the draw against Fulham.
Saka started on Saturday having been out since going off injured in the first half of the loss at Lens on Matchday 2.
William Saliba (ankle) and Trossard (hamstring) both picked up injuries against City, the former starting on Saturday and the latter coming on as a substitute.
Jurriën Timber suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury on his first Premier League appearance, Arsenal's 2-1 home win against Nottingham Forest on the opening weekend of the season on 12 August.
Saka and Ødegaard have been included on the 30-shortlist for the Ballon d'Or, which will be announced in Paris on 30 October. Aaron Ramsdale has been nominated for the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper.
Ramsdale, Saka, Ødegaard and Saliba were all included in the Professional Football Association's team of the year for 2022/23, which was announced on 29 August. Saka won the young player of the year award.