Sevilla boss Julen Lopetegui has hailed Chelsea as the Premier League’s best attacking team ahead of Wednesday’s meeting between the sides in Spain.
Lopetegui claimed before his team’s Group E opener at Stamford Bridge in October that Frank Lampard’s Blues were among the favourites for the Champions League title, and he has not changed his mind.
Both sides have already secured qualification for the knockout stage and head into the encounter battling to top the pool, leaving Lopetegui excited by a stern examination of his team’s credentials.
“It’s a huge and exciting challenge against a team who could win the Champions League,” the former Spain coach said.
“They are the best attacking team in England at the moment, they have great players.
“It’s a real excitement to play against them and it motivates us to play our best.”
Sevilla and Chelsea battled to a goalless draw at Stamford Bridge on October 20, with both sides having won their other two matches to cement their places in the last 16.
Lopetegui admitted Sevilla must leave it to the last minute to assess their line-up, given the stresses of a compacted season owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We want to keep working and growing as a team against a very strong opponent who we’ll need to be at our absolute best to beat,” he added.
“I see the team working every day, they’re trying their best in spite of the difficult of this season and the injuries we have.
“We’ve got a number of absentees but we are coping.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here