Seville derby: The Brazilians to watch out for in Seville Vs real Betis

Seville derby: The Brazilians to watch out for in Seville Vs real Betis

The Seville city derby is one of the iconic fixtures in Spanish football - and the first clash of 2019/20 will again have a big Brazilian influence with Sevilla’s Fernando and Diego Carlos taking on their countrymen Sidnei and Emerson of Real Betis.
   
   
   
       
       
           
               
                   

The Seville city derby is one of the iconic fixtures in Spanish football - and the first clash of 2019/20 will again have a big Brazilian influence with Sevilla’s Fernando and Diego Carlos taking on their countrymen Sidnei and Emerson of Real Betis.

               
           
               
                   

Brazilians have made a big impact on the Andalusian capital’s biggest game through recent years - with famous names from Bebeto, Daniel Alves and Luis Fabiano of Sevilla to Real Betis’ Denilson, Marcos Assuncao and Ricardo Oliveira being fondly remembered in the city still.

               
           
               
                   

November 10’s clash at Betis’ Estadio Benito Villamarin should continue this tradition - with a new generation of Brazilian footballers looking to make an impact and help their team to both the three points and the local and international bragging rights.

               
           
               
                   

Betis defender Sidnei is the most experienced of the four in La Liga - he arrived at the Benito Villamarin in summer 2018 from RC Deportivo, having also played previously in La Liga for Espanyol. Sidnei had an unenviable record against Sevilla with his previous clubs, losing seven and drawing two of nine meetings.

               
           
               
                   

The now 30-year-old's first ‘derbi’ after joining Betis was September 2019’s 1-0 verdiblanco home win, while he started the reverse fixture as Sevilla got revenge with a 3-2 victory. An adductor injury picked up in September has limited physically strong and impressively creative centre-back’s appearances recently and been one reason behind Betis’ inconsistent form so far this season.

               
           
               
                   

Right-back Emerson also played in April’s meeting at the Sanchez-Pizjuan, having joined Betis on loan in January 2019. Verdiblanco coach Rubi has been carefully introducing the athletic and direct 20-year-old, who has shown glimpses of real quality with assists against Real Valladolid and Leganes and a goal against Villarreal already this term. Having already played for Brazil’s Under-23 side, Emerson is contracted to Barcelona for next season, but will be keen to make the most of any derbi appearance.

               
           
               
                   

Sunday will be a first Seville derby for last summer’s rojiblanco signings Fernando and Diego Carlos, who have both quickly become mainstays of a reshaped Sevilla team which has been challenging towards the top of the LaLiga table under new coach Julen Lopetegui.

               
           
               
                   

A tactically and physically strong holding midfielder, Fernando arrived at the Sanchez-Pizjuan in the summer from Turkish club Galatasaray, with previous clubs including Manchester City and Porto. The 32-year-old uses his experience to both halt opposition attacks and get his own team moving forward and has become one of Lopetegui's main lieutenants on the pitch.

               
           
               
                   

Diego Carlos was a less well-known figure before he was signed last summer from French club Nantes by Sevilla’s canny sporting director Ramon ‘Monchi’ Rodriguez. A classy but tough central defender, the Sao Paolo native has settled quickly into Spanish football, impressing especially as his team kept clean sheets in recent home wins against Getafe and Levante.

               
           
               
                   

All four honourary Andalusians could now come into direct head-to-head contact on Sunday evening at the Benito Villamarin, with cheers coming across the Atlantic from the increasing number of both Betis and Sevilla fans back in Brazil.

Source: Seville derby: The Brazilians to watch out for in Seville Vs real Betis

- gist culled from pulseng