La Liga: Athletico Madrid vs. Sevilla

Athletico Madrid are perhaps -along with Villarreal- fast becoming the revelation of the season. They are currently in fifth position and just one point from a Champions league spot. They are winning matches they would have lost last year and scoring goals too. Lots of goals. Even without Fernando Torres. They now have thirty three goals from the league and the UEFA cup in just fourteen games and have lost just twice so far, away at Barcelona and Real Madrid. Much of their success comes from the strike partnership of Diego Forlan and ‘el Kun’ Agüero, who have netted eighteen goals between them this season already. Not to be outdone, Sevilla have an even better goal scoring machine in Kanoute and Luis Fabiano. These two have gone on the score sheet twenty times so far. Sixteen in the league and four in Champions. When these two clubs meet at the Calderon stadium on Wednesday expect a lot a goals if both partnerships are true to form. New Sevilla coach Manolo Jimenez made an excellent start to his reign by beating Valencia by three goals to nil to home on Sunday, although he hasn’t really done much so far as Juande Ramos left last Friday. Still, it’s always good to start your career winning and he will be taking the victory to Madrid. A curious fact is that both teams have won their last two league games where both scored five goals without conceding any. Historically, Athletico have the upper hand as they have only lost to Sevilla at home four times in the last thirteen years, winning five others and drawing three. This is a difficult game to call. Both teams are doing well now. Sevilla seem to have gotten past their recent drop in form and are now back to (or nearing) last season’s best. The only chink in their armor seems to be in the form of their new manager. It will be interesting how he copes with the pressure now that his first game is out of the way. If I have to choose a winner here (and I’m sure it’s not going to end in a draw), I would have to plump for Athletico Madrid. They are firing on all cylinders at the moment, especially ‘el Kun’, who seems to be finally breaking into the limelight and taking some of the shine form his Argentinean compatriot Leo Messi. Prediction: Home win (3-2)