Sevilla: Emery emerges as favourite to succeed Lopetegui
The former Real Madrid manager is under-fire at the Sánchez Pizjuán and Sevilla could look to their former coach if results fail to improve.
Julen Lopetegui’s tenure at Sevilla has come under question since the beginning of January with the former Real Madrid manager overseeing a single victory in LaLiga from five fixtures and seeing his side knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Mirandés.
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While that latter defeat can be taken in the context of the Segunda side’s storming run to the semi-finals, which included defeats of Primera División sides Celta and Villarreal, Sevilla’s league form is a cause of concern at the Sánchez Pizjuan with Lopetegui’s side slipping out of the Champions League places.
Sevilla face CFR Cluj in the Europa League last 32 later this month in a tie that could be key to whether or not the club hierarchy persist with Lopetegui, while Liga fixtures against 20th-placed Espanyol and mid-table Osasuna will also be expected to reap six points as the former Spain coach seeks to secure his position.
Emery poised for Sevilla return
If Sevilla do decide to shake things up, Unai Emery has emerged as the bookmakers’ favourite to return to the Sánchez Pizjuán. The recently sacked Arsenal manager led the Andalusian side to three consecutive Europa League titles during his previous spell at the club between 2013 and 2016, which led to Paris Saint-Germain securing his services that year.
Emery would be a popular appointment with fans after the managerial dream team he formed with sporting director Monchi and is at 3/1 at some bookies to return to his former club. Other candidates include former Watford coaches Quique Sánchez Flores (5/1) and Javi Gracia (6/1), with Manuel Pellegrini (11/1) and Laurent Blanc (12/1) also in the running.
Outsiders include habitual interim boss Joaquín Caparrós (17/1), Belgium manager Roberto Martínez (26/1) and former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri (40/1).