To Salzburg with chaste and courage

On a night of much suffering, one of those that have given Sevilla so much glory in other settings and times of the year, Nervión vibrated with his people in the first victory of this phase of the Champions League, which leaves group G burning. The Nervión team, third after Lille’s triumph against Salzburg, have almost the same options of going to the round of 16 as first in the group than even finishing fourth. Beyond any cabal There is one crystal clear fact: if you win in Austria you will be safe in the next phase of the competition.

He qualified eThe impudence with which he has started his career at Wolfsburg the usually bold Florian Kohfeldt, who put defensive midfielder Guivalogui ahead of a defense of four. Perhaps, an attempt to equalize the presence in the center of the field of Sevilla, that despite that movement jumped to the grass in a dominating plan. Papu Gómez got inside and gave the Nervionenses superiority in the middle, and it was the small Argentine midfielder who first warned with a close shot that remained in the legs of the rival defense before reaching the goal of Pervan.

The loss of the titular Casteels under the sticks forced the premiere of the Bosnian-Austrian goalkeeper, who had not played a single minute yet this season. Koundé put him to the test in a corner, with a frank header but too focused and Joan Jordán, closer still, beat him on the plate (1-0, 12 ‘) thanks to a magnificent center from Ivan Rakitic. The Croatian has been reborn and seems like another footballer in the last month: scorer, assistant and at times even bossy.

With the obligation of the result, Wolfsburg tried to stretch. German international Lukas Nmecha almost tied, but between Bono and the crossbar they resolved what was practically the only notable approach of the visitors before reaching the break. And the locker room was reached with more equality in possession but the sensation, not specified, that Sevilla could extend their advantage to the counterattack.

A feeling that in the midst of the fear of a draw It did not materialize until the last gasp of the kilometer discount decreed by the Turk Çakir. Rafa Mir achieved it (2-0, 97 ‘). Before, guerrilla warfare, little decision in the auction (which is penalizing Sevilla so much) of Papu, Munir and Mir himself, some arbitration controversy and above all a lot of caste and a lot of courage in the middle of another European delusion, although this one, far of the titles, it only serves for the moment to really nourish a hope.