José Ángel Carmona has emerged as one of Sevilla’s most tactically adaptable players during the 2025/2026 La Liga season, after having turned down a move to Nottingham Forest this past summer.
Under the tactical direction of Matías Almeyda, who employs a rotational system alternating between the 4-2-3-1 and 5-2-3 formations, Carmona has registered 11 league appearances.
His deployment across three distinct defensive positions, coupled with a statistical return of one goal and three assists, underscores his significant contribution.
This season’s data confirms Carmona’s pivotal role in Sevilla’s structural integrity, directly influencing the team’s build-up play, defensive organisation, and transitional phases.
In this José Ángel Carmona scout report, we will discuss José Ángel Carmona’s style of play and his impact on his team.
José Ángel Carmona Positional Versatility In Matías Almeyda Tactics
José Ángel Carmona’s positional intelligence has allowed Sevilla to change structures fluidly without losing stability.
In the 4-2-3-1 or 5-2-3, he pushes aggressively as a right-back, occupying high starting positions to stretch the pitch and create advanced passing lanes for Sevilla’s midfield.
His ability to alternate between overlaps and underlaps gives the attack multiple layers, allowing the right winger to drift inside.
In the left-back position, Carmona’s tactical behaviour is shaped by his weaker-foot preference, leading him to move diagonally into the midfield to facilitate central combination play rather than conventional wide progression.
His solitary appearance as a right-sided centre-back within a five-man defensive unit demonstrated a notable level of positional maturity.
This performance included effective forward pressing against opposition attackers operating between the lines, diligent tracking of wide offensive movements, and consistent maintenance of Sevilla’s structural compactness.
Carmona’s proficiency across multiple roles provides Matías Almeyda with the tactical flexibility required for in-match system adjustments.
José Ángel Carmona Stats 2025/2026
José Ángel Carmona Build-Up Influence & Ball Progression
In possession, José Ángel Carmona provides Sevilla with vertical energy and clean progression.
His ball-carrying under pressure is one of the most valuable parts of his game, often breaking the first line of pressure and forcing opponents to collapse centrally.
José Ángel Carmona is confident receiving the ball under pressure and quickly bursts into open space.
In the Atlético Madrid match, Carmona’s composure on the ball stood out as he worked seamlessly with the goalkeeper and back line, helping Sevilla circulate possession and escape pressure with maturity.
His passing is quick and accurate, often finding central midfielders or the No. 10 with vertical passes that break down the opponent’s defence.
These passes allow Sevilla to play between the lines more quickly and disrupt opponents who defend in the mid-block.
From the right, Carmona also demonstrates the ability to switch play with measured diagonal balls, especially toward the far-side winger or the advancing full-back.
This capacity to shift the point of attack prevents Sevilla from being trapped on one flank and creates more fluid attacking sequences.
José Ángel Carmona’s ability to carry the ball into the final third is a key feature of his progression profile, often transforming defensive regains into immediate attacking platforms.
A clear example came against Girona in the 40th minute, when he drove past the first pressing line with power and precision, advancing nearly 25 metres before releasing play into the right half-space to break Girona’s mid-block and initiate a dangerous attacking sequence.
His composure in possession and willingness to step forward into space provide Sevilla with constant forward momentum in their positional play.
José Ángel Carmona Final Third Contributions
José Ángel Carmona’s output in the final third has improved noticeably this season, culminating in one goal and three assists from only eleven league matches.
Carmona’s best quality is his smart timing of runs forward.
When Sevilla attacks down the right, he starts deeper and then quickly sprints into the space behind the winger.
This delayed movement forces defenders into difficult decisions: track Carmona’s run and leave the winger isolated in a favourable position, or hold the line and risk being overloaded on the far side of the box.
Two of his assists this season came from such underlapping movements in which he arrived inside the area with enough space to deliver composed cutbacks into key scoring zones.
José Ángel Carmona’s assist against RCD Mallorca perfectly highlighted his 1-v-1 dominance, as he isolated the wide defender, shifted the ball to create separation, and drove past him before delivering a precise far-post cross that led to a decisive goal.
He now has more types of crosses.
From deep, he can whip in early balls.
When he advances further, he switches to hard, driven passes across the goal or soft, floated crosses to the far post.
His assist versus Deportivo Alavés showcased a different attacking weapon: the classic knock-past move, where he pushed the ball to the defender’s left and burst explosively around the right side, recovering possession at full speed and cutting it back into the box for a high-quality chance creation.
Carmona’s assist against Rayo Vallecano underlined his intelligence in timing underlapping runs, as he drifted inside from the right channel to exploit the gap between the full-back and centre-back before receiving the return pass and delivering a composed cut-back across the six-yard box for the arriving striker to finish.
Even on the left, despite the technical challenge of operating on his weaker foot, he maintains an ability to combine inside and pick the right moments to deliver or recycle possession.
Although he is not a high-volume shooter, his willingness to step into midfield and take long-range attempts suggests a developing threat that could grow with further confidence.
José Ángel Carmona Defensive Intelligence & Reliability
Defensively, José Ángel Carmona provides Sevilla with both stability and aggressive control in wide areas.
His one-on-one defending is defined by patience and intelligent body orientation rather than reckless challenges.
Defensively, he pushes attackers wide to the touchline.
He keeps his balance to either tackle or slow the opponent down, giving Sevilla’s defence time to get back into shape.
This is key against wingers who try to cut inside, as Carmona blocks the dangerous central pass options.
Particularly in Matías Almeyda’s alternating 4-2-3-1 and 5-2-3 structures, where Carmona must balance wide coverage with supporting the nearest centre-back.
He reads triggers early, such as the opponent’s heavy touch or the winger opening his hips, and steps in cleanly with front-foot interceptions without compromising defensive balance.
His timing when leaving the line is especially notable; he rarely vacates the right channel recklessly, choosing to press only when his cover shadow protects the inside lane.
This blend of composure, awareness, and controlled aggression anchors his reliability as a right-back, making him a defender who prevents danger through anticipation rather than last-ditch interventions.
Transitions With José Ángel Carmona & Physical Profile
Transitions are a fundamental part of Almeyda’s philosophy, and José Ángel Carmona’s athletic profile makes him one of Sevilla’s most effective players during these phases.
In attacking transitions, he is quick to surge forward alongside the ball-carrier, often running beyond the first defensive line to stretch the opposition vertically.
When he runs straight forward, he creates space for Sevilla’s creative players, allowing them to cut inside or link up in the middle of the pitch.
His goal this season against Barcelona stemmed from alertness in a second-phase set-piece situation, highlighting his ability to read loose-ball situations.
Even if he doesn’t touch the ball right away, his movement forces the opponent’s defenders to react, which speeds up Sevilla’s attack.
Carmona’s speed in getting back is extremely important.
If Sevilla lose the ball high up, he quickly sprints back to form the defensive line, which forces the opposition to slow their attack or move the ball out wide.
Because he recovers so quickly, Sevilla can play with a high defensive line and send more players forward to attack without worrying about being exposed.
His calm play in these key moments greatly enhances the team’s ability to defend.
His physical conditioning, stride length, and acceleration make him an ideal fit for a team that operates at a high tempo and frequently undergoes structural transitions.
José Ángel Carmona Areas For Improvement
Despite his progress, José Ángel Carmona still has clear areas where refinement would elevate his overall profile.
When he receives the ball under pressure on the left, he needs to improve his body position; he often turns too far inward, which makes it easier for the opposition to press Sevilla.
If he can get more comfortable receiving the ball with his weaker foot, he would be much more effective on both sides of the pitch.
Although his recovery pace is strong, he occasionally relies on it too heavily, especially when Sevilla push high in a 4-2-3-1, leading to late defensive adjustments instead of earlier positional corrections.
Additionally, his timing in defending far-post crosses needs more consistency; he sometimes tracks the ball rather than the runner, leaving him a half-step behind in dangerous areas.
One clear example of this lapse came in the goal conceded against Barcelona, where his delayed recovery run on the right side allowed the attacker to gain separation in transition; instead of accelerating immediately to match the runner’s pace, Carmona hesitated for a brief moment, which proved costly as the sequence ended with Marcus Rashford finishing unopposed inside the box.
Conclusion
José Ángel Carmona’s 2025/2026 season reflects a player evolving into a modern, multi-functional full-back.
His ability to adapt to different systems, progress possession, influence transitions, and maintain defensive stability makes him a key contributor to Sevilla’s identity under Almeyda.
With further refinement in decision-making and aerial play, he has the potential to become one of La Liga’s most complete and reliable wide defenders.
