Predictable play and pliable pressing: Why things have gone stale for Julen Lopetegui at Sevilla – tactical analysis

From 2010/11 to 2018/19, Sevilla finished in the top four on just one occasion in those nine separate campaigns.

The Andalusian club had been in the UEFA Champions League several times in that period but had qualified by winning three Europa League titles on the bounce under Unai Emery from 2014 to 2016, and then grabbing fourth in 2016/17 under Jorge Sampaoli.

In 2019, after a rather disappointing season where the men’s first-team finished below Getafe and managed to finish just sixth in the table, the board were in the market for a new manager, someone who could try and finish in the top four consistently. Enter Julen Lopetegui.

In the first half of 2018, the coach’s stock was rapidly rising but came crashing down to earth after being dismissed from the Spanish national team and Real Madrid within months of each other.

But when Sevilla came, it was a no brainer. They crossed each other’s paths at the perfect moment. The 2021/22 season marked the end of Lopetegui’s third full campaign in charge of Sevilla. The Spanish giants have never failed to finish outside the top four and even managed European glory in 2020, winning the Europa League once more.

However, it would seem as though Lopetegui’s tenure is coming to a rather stale end. Sevilla had mounted a title challenge this season but ended the campaign with a whimper, winning just twice in their final eleven matches to scrape fourth.

But what were the reasons behind this eyebrow-raising drop off?

This Julen Lopetegui tactical analysis will look to answer these questions in the form of a team scout report.

Formation and style

Lopetegui comes very much from the Spanish school of coaching, employing a very possession-based style of play since he took the job in the dugout at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium. This won’t come as a shock to anyone who has watched the Sevillistas Los Rojiblancos over the past three seasons.

In the 2021/22 campaign, Sevilla averaged 59.8 percent ball possession on average per game which was the third-highest behind the possession kings Barcelona and champions Real.

Out of possession, Sevilla are a team that want to press high and get in the faces of the opposition, trying to win the ball in dangerous areas of the field by forcing the ball carrier into making mistakes.

In contrast to the rest of La Liga in the season that has just drawn to a close, Lopetegui’s side have one of the lowest Passes allowed Per Defensive Action rates with 8.55, beaten only by Barcelona and Celta de Vigo.