Why Sevilla were the perfect bridesmaid – but might not be for much longer

Picture Sevilla in a bright red chiffon dress, with style and without an overly deliberate neckline. On the day, Sevilla were full of personality, an ingredient of fun, and will be remembered for their contribution with a fondness already tinted by the warmth of nostalgia on a cold night. All without stealing the show: Atletico Madrid were still the talk the next day, the giddy antics of the night before a declaration of intentions for the title. They shone, and the French groom was praised for his ease on the dance floor. Now add a big pair of red boxing gloves to Sevilla’s outfit.

On Sunday, Los Nervionenses were an ideal mix of the perfect bridesmaid and a worthy sparring partner for Atletico. They caught Los Colchoneros on several occasions smack in the jaw, jolting them into life, opening the adrenaline valve, and moving with an agility that no doubt surprised even those in their corner. Ahead of Atletico’s heavyweight clash on the 21^st of December, their rumble up the magic mountain with Barcelona, Sevilla were a test that went well beyond practice.

Throughout the early stages of this season, every conversation surrounding the Andalusian giants has been about their limitations, every match has been tinged with ifs. Droning on and on. With the club around them shaking like a snowglobe, the dust never settles. The players, the manager – victims of circumstance, products of misfortune. At the Metropolitano, for the first time in a long time, Sevilla did their talking on the pitch, and shouted about what they do have.

For the first time this season, Atletico conceded three goals in domestic football. Diego Simeone’s side were on a run of one goal conceded in 4 games. For Sevilla, it was the first time they had scored three times in 7 months, and the first time their starting striker had tasted the goal nectar in 8 months. Their performance accounted for 27% of the goals Atletico have conceded and 18% of the Sevilla’s total scored.

Granted, they conceded four, but if you exclude the 9 goals scored by Barcelona and Atleti, they have conceded 14 times in 14 games – looking forward, that’s a sturdy enough defence for an above average attack to win games. The reality, maybe the hope is a better description, that this game reaches far beyond the capital for Sevilla. Manager Garcia Pimienta had not a hint of negativity in his post-match press conference. His only regret was that they lost.

“If we play like that, we’ll win many more games,” he said, searching for the right tone between contentment and disappointment. “It was a brutal effort, the players put their lives on the line for the team. It leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, and obviously you did things wrong in defence if you concede four, but I’ll stand by the idea that we played a complete game.”

From the view given to you by the cameras, high and wide, the two things you are most deprived of are the speed and the vision of the players. At pitch-level, most matches at the top level look like a maelstrom of moving bodies, and the art is the fact the players pick their way through it at all. In that regard, Sevilla showed so much more than just heart and commitment.

From a top-down view, what we could see, is that Sevilla consistently made the right choices again and again until the final stages. Atletico were not only kept at arm’s length, but confounded by Sevilla’s use of the ball. In Dodi Lukebakio, they have a star that no matter the opposition, is difficult to handle, and he was too hot for the home side in their first goal.

Their second saw Sevilla traverse from the edge of their own box to just inside Atletico’s in a move that took 9 seconds, 6 touches and 3 players for Isaac Romero to score. Their third saw them dance in and out of reach, toying with Atletico, in a move that ended with Juanlu Sanchez, but involved almost the entire team enjoying the ball in the opposition half. On several occasions more, Sevilla stretched Atletico’s defence, and then tore through it gleefully.

For too long, Sevilla have been engaged in dreary relationship with the ball, a morose approach to matches has become the norm. On Sunday, there was life, exuberance, a rejection of the sullen manner that has consumed the club – like Garcia Pimienta, any fan or player will sign up for that personality. Sevilla came away without any points from the Metropolitano, but they might just have caught the bouquet.