Manzano holds out Champions League hope

Sevilla head coach Gregorio Manzano believes his side can still qualify for the Champions League despite being 12 points behind Valencia.

Manzano’s side beat Valencia on Sunday thanks to a single goal from Ivan Rakitic, but are still some way off the pace of their fourth-placed rivals.

But despite the gap, Manzano believes there is still time for Sevilla to catch Valencia and earn a spot in Europe’s premier competition.

“As long as there is a mathematical possibility of Champions League football, we aren’t going to give up,” Manzano said.

“It doesn’t depend on us, as we just have to win every Sunday and hope that those ahead of us don’t.”

“We need to be like we were (Sunday). We had stages of very good play with chances and reaped the rewards that we maybe didn’t in Bilbao, Santander, A Coruna or the Calderon.”

“We have to continue in this way until the end of the season, and keep going against Zaragoza (on April 2) when we come back from the week off.”

Mon 21 March, 2011

Comment on Manzano pledges Real assault by Kofie

SoccerNews.comHomeSoccer StatsLive ScoresTransfer NewsEditorialBettingTicketsFootball ShirtsHomeArchivesAdvertiseWrite for UsAboutContactCommunityTop LeaguesEnglish Premier LeagueEnglish ChampionshipLa LigaSerie ABundesligaLigue 1EredivisieScottish Premier LeagueMLSWorld CupInternational CupsUEFA Champions LeagueUEFA Europa LeagueEuropean ChampionshipWorld Cup Select your teamArsenalAston VillaBirmingham CityBlackburn RoversBlackpoolBolton WanderersChelseaEvertonFulhamLiverpoolManchester CityManchester UnitedNewcastle UnitedStoke CitySunderlandTottenham HotspurWest Bromwich AlbionWest Ham UnitedWigan AthleticWolverhampton WanderersBarnsleyBristol CityBurnleyCardiff CityCoventry CityCrystal PalaceDerby CountyDoncaster RoversHull CityIpswich TownLeeds UnitedLeicester CityMiddlesbroughMillwallNorwich CityNottingham ForestPortsmouthPreston North EndQueens Park RangersReadingScunthorpe UnitedSheffield UnitedSwansea CityWatfordAlmeriaAthletic BilbaoAtletico MadridBarcelonaDeportivo La CorunaEspanyolGetafeHerculesLevanteMallorcaMalagaOsasunaRacing SantanderReal MadridReal SociedadReal ZaragozaSevillaSporting GijonValenciaVillarrealBariBolognaBresciaCagliariCataniaCesenaChievoFiorentinaGenoaInternazionaleJuventusLazioLecceMilanNapoliPalermoParmaRomaSampdoriaUdineseBayer LeverkusenBayern MunchenBorussia DortmundBorussia M'gladbachEintracht FrankfurtFreiburgHamburger SVHannover 96HoffenheimKaiserslauternKolnMainz 05NurnbergSchalke 04St. PauliStuttgartWerder BremenWolfsburgArlesAuxerreBordeauxBrestCaenLensLilleLorientMonacoMontpellierNancyNiceOlympique LyonOlympique MarseillePSGSaint-EtienneSochauxStade RennesToulouseValenciennesADO Den HaagAjaxAZDe GraafschapExcelsiorFeyenoordGroningenHeerenveenHeraclesNAC BredaNECPSVRoda JCTwenteUtrechtVitesseVVV VenloWillem IIAberdeenCelticDundee UnitedHamilton AcademicalsHeart of MidlothianHibernianInverness CTKilmarnockMotherwellRangersSt. JohnstoneSt. MirrenJoin usFollow usWednesday 2 February, 2011

Manzano looks to the back for tie future

Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano has made defence the number one priority ahead of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid.

Cup holders Sevilla host La Liga title contenders Real at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday, with a place in the final up for grabs.

But the match is only the first instalment of two legs to decide the outcome and Manzano knows it is vital that his team are still in contention when they travel to Real’s Santiago Bernabeu on February 2

“The tie isn’t going to be decided here,” Manzano said on Tuesday.

“If only it were to be decided here. It will be decided in the Bernabeu. That is why the most important thing is to not let them score. We need to keep a cool head. We aren’t going to go crazy and look to kill off the tie in the first 20 minutes at home.”

“It is a game where we need to be focused right from the first minute of the game right up to minute 180. That is why tomorrow we will look to have a good game to set up the return leg.”

Manzano revealed that his team selection will largely be dictated by Sevilla’s 4-1 win over Levante in their last La Liga match, on Saturday.

“In today’s training session today we tried to set out a plan, but the game against Levante set the tone for the starting eleven,” he said.

“As I said before the game against Villarreal, which was a return leg, there will be variables that we will have to adapt to. We have this new game, with specific circumstances. I have the script in my head, but my players need to provide the performance.”

Wed 26 January, 2011

Manzano looks to the back for tie future

Sevilla coach Gregorio Manzano has made defence the number one priority ahead of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Real Madrid.

Cup holders Sevilla host La Liga title contenders Real at the Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Wednesday, with a place in the final up for grabs.

But the match is only the first instalment of two legs to decide the outcome and Manzano knows it is vital that his team are still in contention when they travel to Real’s Santiago Bernabeu on February 2

“The tie isn’t going to be decided here,” Manzano said on Tuesday.

“If only it were to be decided here. It will be decided in the Bernabeu. That is why the most important thing is to not let them score. We need to keep a cool head. We aren’t going to go crazy and look to kill off the tie in the first 20 minutes at home.”

“It is a game where we need to be focused right from the first minute of the game right up to minute 180. That is why tomorrow we will look to have a good game to set up the return leg.”

Manzano revealed that his team selection will largely be dictated by Sevilla’s 4-1 win over Levante in their last La Liga match, on Saturday.

“In today’s training session today we tried to set out a plan, but the game against Levante set the tone for the starting eleven,” he said.

“As I said before the game against Villarreal, which was a return leg, there will be variables that we will have to adapt to. We have this new game, with specific circumstances. I have the script in my head, but my players need to provide the performance.”

Wed 26 January, 2011